boericke, william a compend of the principles of homoeopathy
DESCRIPTION
Obra de referencia em homeopatiaTRANSCRIPT
A COMPEND
OF THE
Principlesof Homoeopattiy
AS TAUGHT BY HAHNEMANN,
AND VKRIFIED BY A CENTURY OF CLINICAL
APPLICATION,
WIVL. BOKRICKK, M. D.
Professor of Materia Medica aud Therapeutics, at the Hahnemann Hospital
College of San Francisco; Associate Author of the Twelve Tissue
Remedies of Sehuessler; Stepping Stone to Homoeopathy;
Member of American Institute of Homoeopathy,
Etc., Etc.
SAN FRANCISCO:
B0ERICK:E " RUNYON
1896.
COPYRIGHTED 1896,
BY
BOERICKK " RUNYON
Jos. WrNTRKBUKN CO.,
Printers and Ei.ectrotypers,
San Francisco.
PREFACE.
Hahnemann's Organon is the great text-book of the
homoeopathic school. It contains philosophical con-ceptions
and practical directions for the establishment
of a true science of therapeutics, and all genuine pro-gress
towards this goal is in the direction pointed out
in that work. To fix its principles clearly in the mind
of the student, to faithfully apply them in practice, is
the special duty and high privilege of Homoeopathy.
The more this is done, the^more will this masterly book
become a veritable mountain of therapeutic light to the
practitioner.
Hahnemann's teachings, and the therapeutic edifice
erected by the homoeopathic school, are based upon
two distinct factors. On the one hand, upon facts of
observation and experiment obtained by strict adher-ence
to the inductive methods of research, facts that
can thus be verified at all times; and, on the other
hand, upon new ideas resulting from the exercise of
deductive reasoning, ideas belonging possibly to a
larger and higher realm, and to some extent beyond
the acceptance of modern scientific thought, but never-theless
capable of great power in achieving curative
results.
Until quite recently, the tendency of modern homoe-opathy
was to bend its energies perhaps too exclusively
upon the acquisition of the facts yielding immediate
results, while neglecting to some extent the study of
iv Preface.
the underlying principles. With neglect of the study
of homoeopathic institutes came coquetry with old-
school methods, and the alluring adoption of modern
palliative and mechanical therapeutics, leading un-questionably
to deterioration of our distinctive prac-tice.
The reaction had to come. We are in the midst
of it. A homoeopathic renaissance is upon us. Teach
and study the Organon is its watchword. This little
book is intended to be an introduction and an aid to a
fuller study and wider acceptance of Hahnemann's
doctrines. It does not pretend to be more than an
attempt to elucidate the salient and vital points often
abstrusely and always metaphorically treated by Hah-nemann,
and thus to familiarize the student with the
fundamental groundwork of our school. These essen-tial
doctrines do not include the necessary acceptance
of every statement of Hahnemann as of equal and ab-solute
importance. Indeed, a wise discrimination is
necessary, for the minor things may be instructive or
obstructive,or even destructive,according to the way
they are held; they may, therefore, be useful or other-wise
for the mental development of the physician or
the scientific evolution of the school.
The author has gladly availed himself of everything
published that furthered the end in view, and he hopes
that the little volume will be used by the student and
young practitioner as a first stepping-stone to the rich
mine of deep philosophy and practical suggestion con-tained
in the writings of Samuel Hahnemann.
WM. BOERICKE, M. D.
San Francisco, September, 1896.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER I.
THK THERAPEUTIC FIEI.D. Pages.
Three methods of combating disease : Preventive medi-cine;
Palliative medicine; Curative medicine Medic-inal
therapeutics Empiricism Practice according
to some pathological theory: i. Allopathy. 2. Anti-pathy,
or Eantiopathy. 3. Organo-Therapy Objec-tions
to Antipathetic treatment Practice based upon
the Law of Cure The first promulgation of this prin-ciple
The development of the homoeopathic princi-ple
Homoeopathy, the science of therapeutics
The great central truths of Homoeopathy Isopathic
medication and its modern form of serum-therapy 1-13
CHAPTER II.
PRINCIPIvES OF PHARMACOI.OGY.
Materia Medica Drugs and drug-action Medicinal
force is a distinct property of drugs Doctrine of Sig-natures
Other methods of determining the medicinal
virtues of drugs Experimental Pharmacology
Physiological action of drugs The homoeopathic
method by means of drug experimentation on the
healthy" drug-proving Drug Pathogenesy The
value of Toxicology as illustrating drug action Dif-ferent
applications of drug action 14-22
CHAPTER III.
THE HOMCEOPATHIC MATERIA MEDICA.
The first book on drug effects Hahnemann's Materia
Medica Pura Publication of the "Chronic Diseases,"
Sources of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica The
comparative value of the three sources of symptoms.
The Hahnemannian Schema The repertory or index
of symptoms How to learn drug pathogenesy 23-30
vi Contents.
CHAPTER IV.
D R U G-P ROVING. Pages.
The proving of medicines General rules for drug-prov-ingDirections for provers Dosage required for
proving Female provers Repetition of doses
Age and sex Temperament Re-provings Her-
ing's rules lor provers How to describe symptoms
obtained from a proving The three essential features
of every complete symptom Primary and secondary
drug effects Hahnemann's method of conducting
provings 31-37
CHAPTER V.
INTERPRKTATION OF DRUG PATHOGENESIS.
Of general symptoms Of peculiar or characteristic symp-toms
Of certain elective affinities to special organs
or functions Locality, or seat, of action vSensa-
tions, or kind, of action Modalities and concomi-tants
Boeninghausen's method of interpreting symp-tomatology
38-44
CHAPTER VI.
DRUG RKI.ATIONSHIP.
Family relation, or collateral, side relation Antidotal
relation Concordant, or compatible, relationship
Complementary relation Inimical relation 45-48
CHAPTER VII.
THE APPIylCATlON OF HOMCEOPATHY.
The examination of the patient The selection of the
remedy The administration of the single remedy.
The dose and its repetition The totalityof the symp-toms
Special precautions to be observed Object-ive
symptoms The totalityin acute diseases The
collective totalityof epidemic diseases Interpretation
of the totality Characteristic, or peculiar, symp-toms
Mental symptoms First, or oldest, symp-toms
Etiological factors Late symptoms
Functional symptoms Need of pathology General,
Contents. vii
Pages.
or absolute, symptoms Totality of equality Path-ological
similarity Method of treating slight ail-ments
Absence of characteristic symptoms in the
totality Partial, or one-sided, diseases .....49-62
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SIMir^IMUM.
The indicated remedy The single remedy Alterna-tion,
or rotation, of remedies 63-65
CHAPTER IX.
THE SECOND PRESCRIPTION.
Rules governing the second prescription Three precau-tionary
rules of Hahnemann Diet and regimen dur-ing
homoeopathic treatment Regimen in acute dis-eases
66-72
CHAPTER X.
HAHNEMANN'S NOSOI^OGY.
Acute diseases Chronic diseases Drug diseases
The evolution of Hannemann's doctrine of chronic
diseases Cause of recurrence of chronic diseases
The skin phase of chronic diseases The underlying
facts of the Psoric theory Anti-psoric remedies
Hahnemann's suggestions in regard to administering
anti-psoric remedies Other miasms recognized by
Hahnemann Sycosis Eradicative possibilitiesof
anti-psorictreatment Pre-natal treatment by means
of anti-psoricremedies Suggestions for the treatment
of chronic diseases Partial diseases and local affec-tions
Objections to local application of a medicine
simultaneously with its internal use The local appli-cation
of non-homoeopathic remedies The local dis-ease
is nature's efforts to relieve by derivation The
mental state and temperament of the patient Mental
diseases and their treatment Acute insanity Inter-mittent
and alternating diseases 73-89
\iii Contents.
CHAPTER XI.
POSOI.OGY. Pages.
Different effects between large and small doses Reasons
for the difference in dosage between drugs chosen homoe-
opathically and anti-pathically Reason why the
honiceopathic dose is necessarily smaller Aggrava-tion
follows sometimes even a minute homoeopathic dose.
Historical development of the homcEpathic dose
Repetition of doses The theory of Dynamization.
Hahnemann's reasons why the skeptic ridicules these
homoeopathic attenuations 90-98
CHAPTER XII.
THE PREPARATION OF HOMCEOPATHIC MEDICINES.
Pharmacopoeia Essential conditions for preparing homoe-
pathic medicines The menstrua used in homoeopathic
pharmacy Alcohol Sugar of milk Distilled
water The unit of ' medicinal strength Prepara-tions
of drugs Aqueous solutions Tinctures
Dilutions or liquid attenuations Centesimal and
Decimal scale Triturations To convert tritura-tions
into liquid potencies Pellets, disks, cones,
tablets, etc 99-108
CHAPTER XIII.
Hahnemann's Philosophy 109-116
APPENDIX.
A Catechism on Samuel Hahnemann's "Organon," and
"Chronic Diseases," by the late Professor Samuel
Lilienthal 117-152
A COMPEND
OF THE
PRINCIPLES OF HOMCEOPATHY.
CHAPTER I.
THE THERAPEUTIC FIELD.
The aim of the art of medicine is to cure disease, and
the physician's highest ideal of a cure, as Hahnemann
says, Organon " 2, is the rapid, gentle and permanent
restoration of health, or the removal and annihilation
of disease in its whole extent, in the shortest, most reli-able
and most harmless manner, and on easily com-prehensible
principles, that is, with the least possible
expenditure of time, money, vitality and suffering.
In pursuance of this object, the physician presses
into his service all agencies which tend to health. This
is the part of
Therapeutics [therapeuein, to attend upon]. It in-cludes
all that relates to the science and art of healing,
includes all agents, medicines among them, which may
aid this purpose. It embraces dietetics,climate, cloth-ing,
bathing, nursing, application of heat, cold, elec-tricity
and all other means used by the physician for
restoring health, when that is possible, or in palliating
violent conditions or incurable diseases, or in prevent-ing
their development. Hence there are
Three methods of combating disease, of which
every physician is bound to avail himself. They are:
2 A COMPEND OF THE
1. Preventive medicine.
2. Palliative medicine.
3. Curative medicine.
These cover the whole field of possible therapeutic
activity.*
.Preventive Medicine includes the application of
everything that physiology, hygiene, sanitary science,
etc.,can teach to lessen the development of disease
according to the teaching in " 4 of the Organon.'' The physician is at the same time a preserver of
health, when he knows the causes that disturb health,
that produce and maintain disease,and when he knows
how to remove them from healthy persons."
It includes much of bacteriologicalknowledge, anti-septic
medication, subjects that have made enormous
strides in recent years. It includes as well the judi-cious
use of homoeopathic remedies in preventing or
modifying the development of epidemic and hereditary
diseases.
Palliative Medicine. Palliative medicines are of
two kinds:
(1) The use of drugs in their physiological dosage
for their direct effects,as the use of Opium and Mor-phine
for pain. This is the common method of the
old school.
(2) By the carefullyselected Homoeopathic remedy
given in minute dosage. This frequently yields bril-liant
results in palliating where a cure is impossible.
This latter method is to be tried in every case before
drug palliation-is used.
This is almost the sole resource of the old school,
and consequently much abused, but in the hands of the
*This was aptly and perfectly expressed by Dr. Bering to the
author in the German words Rindern, Lindern, Mindern, embodying
every possibility of a physician'sdistinctive sphere of usefulness.
Principles of Homceopathy. 3
true physician who knows its subordinate place, it
constitutes a legitimate method in incurable diseases,
beyond the operation of the law of cure, where we can
only alleviate,not radically cure. While Homoeopathy
reduces the need and occasions for the use of mere pal-liatives
to a small limit, yet palliation has its use in
the practiceof medicine, but it is always the expression
on the part of the physician of his impotence to cure
radically.
Curative Medicine is almost exclusively occupied by
Homoeopathy, for this method alone cures without
subjecting the patient to new pains and discomforts;
it alone fulfills the highest aim of the physician " to
heal quickly, gently, radically,according to scientific
and rational methods.
All physicians are compelled to avail themselves of
all three methods at times. As sanitarians and hygi-
enists,physicians can do much to prevent zymotic and
epidemic diseases; as homoeopathists, much can be
done in the eradication of inherited disease tendencies
and preventing their development; and as the laws that
govern curative medicine are applied more fully,the
need for mere palliationwill correspondingly grow less.
Leaving aside the large field of General Therapeutics,
common to all physicians, of whatever school of medi-cine,
we restrict ourselves to the consideration of the
different uses of drugs as therapeutic agents.
Medicinal Tlierapeutics is the application of drugs
as medicines for the purpose of modifying or curing
disease. Drugs are employed in the medicinal thera-peutic
field either empirically,or according to the Law
of Similars " i. e., scientifically,because according to
fixed law.
Empiricism is based upon mere experience and is
practice without regard to any theory or scientific
4 A COMPEND OF THE
deduction or investigation. A remedy is given which
experience has shown to be effective in a similar case.
It is the rule of authority and leads to mechanical
routinism in practice. Certain remedies have, how-ever,
obtained a permanent place in medicine that
have been discovered empirically, and whose mode of
action cannot be readily explained. It has been found
that certain drugs act curatively against certain defi-nite
diseases when given in material dosage. They are
known as specifics. There are not many, but such are
Quinine in malaria, Mercury in syphilis.Iodine in
glandular affections.Salicylicacid in rheumatism, etc.
These occupy a rather unique position,though it can
be claimed that the relationshipis a homoeopathic one,
although it differs from the usual homoeopathic rela-tionship
between remedies to disease in requiring
material dosage.
Practice according to some pathological theory is
characteristic of the old school of medicine. It is con-stantly
changing, as different views on physiology and
pathology lead to corresponding therapeutic changes.
It is therefore one of the most unstable of methods*
At present, pathology being dominated by bacterio-logical
views, the corresponding therapeutic measures
are largelygermicidal,anti-septicor anti-toxical. But
already bacterial pathology, and as a consequence its
therapeutics show signs of the inevitable displace-ment.*
The use of medicines when administered according
to some pathological theory is either according to allo-pathic
or antipathic method.
*Says Lawson Tait, that during his professional life he has
learned and unlearned some four or tive theories of inflammation,
and he predicts that the present prevalent theory, coccophobia he
calls it,will soon go the way of the other theories.
Phinciples of Homceopathy. 6
Allopathy (from Alios,other and Pathos, a disease),
where the symptoms are different,the same organs and
tissues being affected in a different manner, or other
organs and tissues being affected in some manner; the
relationshipbeing one of indefinitediversity*
Allopathy usually attacks the parts most exempt
from the disease, in order to draw away the disease
through them and thus to expel it, as is imagined.
" 55 Organon.
Antipathy, or Eailtiopathy (from Eanthios,contrary,
and Pathos, disease) "where the symptoms, or condi-tions
indicated by them, are opposites; the relationship
being one of direct antagonism. It is a palliative
method, pure and simple, wherewith the physician can
appear to be most useful and can usually gain the
patient'sconfidence by deluding him with momentary
amelioration.
The inefficacyand danger of this method as applied
in diseases of a chronic nature is easily verified by
clinical observation. Study " 56-71 Organon.
'^All pure experience and exact experiment will con-vince
us that persistent symptoms of disease are so
imperfectly alleviated or exterminated by contrary
symptoms of a drug, used according to antipathic or
palliativemethod, that after a brief period of apparent
relief,they will break forth again in a more marked
degree, and visiblyaggravated." Organon " 23.
In this category of allopathic treatment belong the
therapeutic method of Biochemistry, introduced by Dr.
Schuessler of Germany, and the various forms of chem-ical
treatment, such as Hensel's, etc. The former
adopted from Homoeopathy its method of diminishing
dosage and some of its distinctive remedies, but other-
*Dake, Pathogenetic Therapeutics.
6 A COMPEND OF THE
wise it has no relationship to Homoeopathy, since its
therapeutic procedures are based upon a pathological
theory and not upon the symptoms of the individual
patient,which alone constitute the basis of homoeo-pathic
therapeutics. Here also belongs
Orgauo-Therapy, which is that therapeutic method
which aims to supply deficiencies in the functional
activity of human organs by the administration of
substances derived from similar organs in animals.
It has been found that the extract of Thyroid gland
of animals, administered to the human organism,
causes a rapid disappearance of the morbid symptoms
of myxedema " a form of disease or atrophy of the
thyroid, interfering with the performance of its
function.
The doctrine that sound organs of certain animals
are useful in diseases of those organs in man so lately
revived in the old school,was clearlytaught by Oswald
Croll,a discipleof Paracelsus. Its modern extension
is unreasonable and unscientific,and a passing thera-peutic
fad.
Besides these special and modern tendencies of old
school practice,there are certain perennial features
characteristic of it. In place of the former hypothet-ical
assumptions of the hidden causes of disease that
proved delusive and deceptive as a basis for treatment,
material causes of disease were next assumed to exist,
and hence the treatment, based upon such hypotheses,
consisted mostly in eliminating from the organism the
supposed offending cause, therefore the list of purga-tives,
emetics, sudorifics counter-irritants,surgical pro-cedures,
local medication of all kinds. But though a
temporary relief is frequently obtained thereby, no
permanent cure is established,rather an increase in
the very condition, in the case of chronic disease; or
Principles of Homceopathy. 7
metastases appear sooner or later, which, however, are
then looked upon as new diseases,and not as direct re-sults
of ill-adaptedtreatment.
" But in by far the greatest proportion of cases of
disease, known as chronic, these impetuous, weakening,
and indirect therapeutie measures of the old school
scarcely ever prove to be of the least benefit. For a
few days at most they suspend one or another of those
troublesome manifestations of disease which return,
however, as soon as nature has become inured to that
counter-stimulus; and the disease will re-appear with
more violence,because the vital powers have been re-duced
by the pain of counter-irritation and improper
evacuations." *
Objections to Antipathic Treatment.
(1) It is merely symptomatic treatment attacking
some prominent singlecondition, instead of the disease
as a whole, and neccosarilyleads to polypharmacy in the
endeavor to meet different conditions at the same time.
(2) The transient amelioration is followed by an
increased aggravation of the very condition to be re-moved,
necessitatingincreasing dosage.
(3) Drug diseases are established that complicate
hopelessly the original disease of the patient; the pos-sibility
of harm by the introduction of the necessary
large dosage of drugs and foreign substances always
being very evident.
None of these therapeutic methods are curative in
the true sense by directlymodifying the vital activities
of the organism. In the cases where such treatment is
ultimately successful (and certain temporary beneficial
results cannot be denied),the homoeopathic method is
more direct,safer, more radical,and with no possible
harm to the patient.
* "Organon,'" Introduction.
8 A COMPEND OF THE
Practice based upon the Law of Cure is the only
truly scientific therapeutic method, since it alone
fulfills the conditions of science and offers a medical
practicetrue for all time and applicable to all forms of
disease in men and animals.
Homoeopathy is the only therapeutic method based.
upon law.
Siniilia Siniilibus Curantur.* Like affections are
cured by their similars, expresses the law for drug
selection in all curable forms of disease. By its
application, the curative remedy is found in curable
cases; and in incurable cases, the same law usually
points to a remedy that will act palliativelyin most
conditions. By Law of Cure is meant the definite path
along which a drug force moves to cure a diseased con-dition.
This law forms the basis of Homoeopathy
[from the Greek words homiios and pathos, meaning
similar affections],the therapeutic method that applies
the principle that any drug which is capable of pro-
* There exists a misconception concerning the phraseology em-ploy
ed by Hahnemann in the expression of the Law of Similars.
Dr. K. E. Dudgeon, the recognized authority concerning the works
of Hahnemann, writes in the appendix to his translation of the
Organon, " Hahnemann always wrote the formula Similia Simili-
bus Curentur, thereby giving an imperative or mandatory turn to
the phrase." The translation must evidently be "Let likes be
treated by likes." " Darch Beobachtung, Nachdenken und Erfahrung
fand ich, dass im Gegentheile von leiztern [Erleichterungsmittelund
Palliative durch die Curart contraria contrariis] die wahre, 7'khtige,
hesie Heilung zufindensei in dem Satze Similia Similibua Curentur.
Wr'ihle, um sanft, schnell, gerwiss und dauerhaft zu heilen, in jedem
Kratikheilsfalle e'lne Argnei, welche ein aehnliches Leiden fur sich
erregen kann, als sie heilen soil!" Nevertheless, Similia Simiiibus
Curantur has been almost universally adopted by the homoeopathic
school, and the belief and conviction have been unconsciously ex-pressed
thereby that it is a laic of nature " S. S. Curantur"
Likes
are cured by likes; rather than a rule of art, S. S. Curentur" Let
likes be treated by likes.
10 A COMPEND OF THE
action and uses of drugs throughout the medical liter-ature.
His first suggestions fell unheeded by the pro-fession;
but he continued his experiments, and nine
years later published a work in Latin ''On the Positive
Effects of Medicines," and at the same time declared
the principle of Similars as a law of general applica-tion.
Five years more of further reflection and experi-ment
enabled him to perfect his system and embody
its principles in his great book, the "Organon of
Rational Medicine." The following year, while a
teacher at the University of Leipsic, he published vol-ume
I of his "Materia Medica Pura," containing original
provings made by himself and members of his family,
and assisted later by some enthusiastic disciplesthat
gathered around him at the University; and in 1821
he published the final sixth volume, containing the
positiveeffects of sixty-fourmedicines. With the pub-lication
of these two great works, Hahnemann provided
both the theoretical and practical requirements of
Homoeopathy as a distinct method of therapeutics.
He was the first to apply the inductive method of
research to therapeutics. He says, in the preface to
the second edition of the Organon, published in 1818:
" The true healing art is in its nature a pure science of
experience, and can and must rest on clear facts and
on the sensible phenomena pertaining to their sphere
of action. Its subjects can only be derived from pure
experience and observation, and it dares not take a
single step out of the sphere of pure, well-observed
experience and experiment." And, again, " Every
one of its conclusions about the actual must always be
based on sensible perceptions,facts and experiences, if
it would elicit the truth."
Homoeopathy, the Science of Therapeutics. Such
a healing art conformable to nature and experience, a
Principles of Homceopathy. 11
science of therapeutics,therefore, did not exist hefore
Hahnemann.
The most marked feature of the early homoeopathy
was its entire freedom from all theory and hypothesis;
it was a protest against all and any pathologicaltheory
as a basis of therapeutics.
As taught, it was the true science of therapeutics,
based upon exact observation of natural phenomena in
disease and drug action,and noting the law governing
their mutual relationship.
On this solid ground of scientific observation, all
Homoeopathists base their practice,whatever differences
have arisen, date from the publication of Hahnemann's
theory of chronic diseases and drug dynamization,
and in not clearlydistinguishingbetween Hahnemann's
discoveries and facts on the one hand and his illustra-tions
and mere theories on the other. Whatever
Hahnemann published as a fact has never yet been
disproved, but his theories are not proven. It is the
genuine Hahnemannian spirit,as Hering says, totally
to disregard all theories,even those of one's own fabri-cation,
when they are in opposition to the results of
pure experience. All theories and hypotheses have no
positiveweight whatever, only so far as they lead to
new experiments and afford a better survey of the re-sults
of those already made.
The Great Central Truths of Homoeopathy.
(1) The totalityof symptoms of the patient consti-tutes
the disease for the purpose of a cure.
(2) Drug experimentation on the healthy, so-called
drug proving, is the only reliable method to arrive at
a knowledge of the effects of drugs.
(3) The curative relation between these two sets of
symptomatic facts is the law of similars,Similia Simil-
ibus Curantur.
12 A COMPEND OF THE
(4) The administration of one single remedy at a
time.
(5) The minimum (smallest) dose that will bringabout a cure.
(6) Repetition of the dose should cease when marked
improvement sets in.
Isopathic Medication and its modern form of
Serum -Therapy. This means the employment of mor-bid
products of a disease for the cure of the same dis-ease
[Aequalia aequalibus]. It is of very ancient date,and of late has received renewed attention through the
researches of Pasteur, Koch, and others; it necessitates
the attenuation of the virus, in order to be used medic-inally;
it was taught as early as 400 years b. c. by
Xenocrates; it was introduced into Homoeopathy byDr. Lux in 1823, and in part adopted by Dr. Hering.Lux taught that the toxins formed in the body, prop-erly
attenuated, are capable of curing the very diseases
that give rise to them"
that is,every disease is sup-posed
to have within itself its own antidote.
In 1830 Hering proposed as a remedy for hydropho-bia
the saliva of a rabid dog, properly attenuated; the
very teaching and practice of Pasteur. He also pro-posed
Phthisine as a remedy for tuberculosis,and forty
years later it,too, received popular and scientific en-dorsement
by Koch and others. As early as 1834,
Dr. Stapf, one of the greatest of the early homoeopath-
ists,who looked upon the subject dispassionately,says:" I do not doubt that the discovery of the curative ac-tion
of morbid matters, in diseases that produced them,
to be one of the most important discoveries that has
been made since the beginning of our school."
Nosodes is the homoeopathic designation for such
morbid products, which are animal alkaloids [pto-maines],
produced by the decomposition of animal sub-
Principles of Homceopathy. 13
stances. At first ptomaines were restricted to alkaloids
produced by cadaveric decomposition, hence the name
(ptomaine, belonging to a dead body), but now they
also include alkaloids of animal origin formed during
life as a result of chemical changes within the organ-ism.
These alkaloids have assumed great importance,
by reason of their relation to the causation of disease,
and it is probable that most pathogenic bacteria pro-duce
their effects through their specificalkaloids. The
homoeopathic nosodes are these specificalkaloids atten-uated
according to homoeopathic methods and adminis-tered
according to the Law of Similars. To obtain a
permanent place in the Materia Medica, as Psorinum,
the principal of the nosodes, has already achieved, and
not be the victim of a passing therapeutic fad, as is the
fate of most old-school therapeutic novelties,they must
he proved on the healthy,and the pathogenetic effects
thus obtained be the only guide for their therapeutic
application. To apply them empirically for similar
diseases corresponding to their origin as is done by the
old-school with tuberculin,antitoxin is disastrous and
non-homoeopathic.
Study in this connection:
The Organon: The Introduction, called by Hahnemann, "A
Keview of Therapeutics; allopathy and palliative treatment, that
have hitherto been practiced in the old-school of medicine, " together
with historical intimations of Homoeopathy before Hahnemann's
time.
Also, Organon $ 1-6, on the Functions of the Physician.
Also, Homoeopathy, the Science of Therapeutics, by Carroll
Dunham.
Homoeopathy, the only system of curative medicine, by Charles
S. Mack.
Pathogenic Therapeutics, by J. P. Dake, in his TherapeuticMethods.
Hahnemann's criticism of Isopathy, in the Organon, Introduc-tion,
note 34.
Dr. Dudgeon's most valuable appendix to his translation and
edition of the Organon, page 200.
14 A COMPEND OF THE
CHAPTER II.
PRINCIPLES OF PHARMACOLOGY.
Pharmacology {pharmakon, a drug, logosa discourse)
is a convenient term for the whole subject of Materia
Medica, pharmacy and medicinal therapeutics. Speci-fically,
it refers often to drug effects,as evinced from
experiments on animals, and as such is the only source
of modern old-school knowledge of the physiological
action of drugs.
Materia Medica is the study of drugs in regard to
their origin, physical and chemical properties, but
especiallyand chieflyin regard to their effects in modi-fying
the health of the body. The latter is the dis-tinctive
field of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica.
Drugs and Drug Action. Drugs are substances
taken from all the kingdoms of nature that are used as
medicines. They usually produce deleterious effects
upon the body when given in sufficientlylarge doses in
health, and they modify some part, or the whole, of a
morbid state when given to the sick. This property is
discovered either empirically by observation of cases of
poisoning, or by systematic experiments on human
beings in health.
Medicinal force is a distinct property of drugs,
by which they modify vital activity,not by their chem-ical,
physical or mechanical properties,but by their
specificdynamic property, peculiar, distinctive and
different in every drug. And they can be truly cura-tive
only by reason of their modifying propertiesof the
vital processes. Each medicinal substance, be it plant,
mineral or animal product, has stored within its
material particles,and embodies, therefore, its own par-
Principles of Homceopathy. 15
ticular medicinal force, which can be brought into
activity by breaking up the outward particles. The
character of this specificforce,or the drug's medicinal
properties,can only be discovered by the vital test,
made by experimenting with different doses on healthy
human organisms, and to some extent on animals.
The latter merely to see the ultimate lesions and or-ganic
changes drugs are able to produce.
At one time, and especiallyduring the middle ages,
before the introduction of modern, scientific methods,
the propertiesof drugs were based upon the
Doctrine of Signatures. External characteristics
of a substance served to indicate possibletherapeutic
effects. Fancied or real resemblances between some
part of a plant and some particular organ or fluid of
the body pointed to therapeutic relationship. Thus,
according to this doctrine, Digitalismust be of use in
blood diseases,because its flowers are adorned with
blood colored dots; Euphrasia was famous as a remedy
for the eyes, because it had a black spot in its coralla,
which looked like a pupil.*
The lungs of a fox must be specificagainst asthma,
because this animal has a very vigorous respiration.
Hypericum having red juiceought therefore to be of
use in haemorrhages.
Euphorbia, having a milky juice,must be good for
increasing the flow of milk.
Sticta,having some likeness to the lungs, was called
pulmonarius and esteemed as a remedy for pulmonary
complaints.
Singularly enough, in isolated instances at least,such
relationshipactually does exist,as has been verified by
subsequent clinical application,and it is possiblethat
an intuitivelygifted race may see a relationshipactu-
*Grauvogl.
16 A COMPEND OF THE
allyexistingbetween outward forms and structures and
inner uses. But for purposes of modern scientific ther-apeutics
it is valueless. *
Other methods of determining the medicinal vir-tues
of drugs were by the sense of taste and of smell.
Drugs with a bitter taste were held to possess tonic and
stomachic virtues, hence the " Bitters " of the ordinary
pharmacopoeia. Gentiana, for instance, is such a drug,
and unquestionably does exert a tonic influence upon
the stomach. But this virtue is probably not because
it is bitter,but because it has a distinctive medicinal
force wholly independent of its taste. Certain aromatic
drugs were deemed to possess anti-spasmodic and stim-ulant
properties,etc.
Experimental Pharmacology. The modern method
for arriving at a knowledge of drugs is by experiment-ation
on animals, chiefly frogs,rabbits,dogs, cats, etc.
But this method is objectionable on account of the
difference in structure and physiology of these animals
* "The soul does not perceive the external or internal physical
construction of herbs and roots, but it intuitively perceives their
powers and virtues and recognizes at once their signatum. This
signature is a certain organic vital activity giving each natural ob-ject
(in contra-distinction to artificiallymade objects) a certain
similarity with a certain condition produced by disease, and through
which health may be restored in specific diseases in the diseased
part. This signatum is often expressed, even in the exterior form
of things, and by observing that form we may learn something in
regard to their interior qualities, even without using our interior
sight. We see that the internal character of a man is often ex-pressed
in his exterior appearance, even in the manner of his walk-ing,
and in the sound of his voice. Likewise the hidden character
of things is to a certain extent expressed in their outward forms.
As long as man remained in a natural state, he recognized the sig-natures
of things and knew their true character; but the more he
diverged from the path of nature and the more his mind became
captivated by illusive external appearances, the more this power
became lost." "Paracehus.
18 A COMPEND OF THE
liative where indicated. This use of drugs is based
upon the law of contraria contrariis opponenda, when
an opposite result is desired,or when it is intended to
produce not an opposite, but an entirely different
action, as, for instance, a purgative in a case of head-ache.
The objectionsto this direct use of drug effects,
by means of physiological dosage, are the limited field
to which such action is applicable and the necessityfor increasing dosage, and sooner or later opposite re-actionary
results that make further use of the drug
useless. All physicians may make use of this direct,
physiological action of certain drugs for certain condi-tions,
but its usefulness is limited. Hahnemann him-self
clearly defines it as follows:
" I do not fail to recognize the great ability*bfpalli-atives.
They are often not only quite sufficient in
cases appearing suddenly and developing rapidly, but
they have great advantages, indeed, where aid cannot
be postponed for an hour, or even a minute. Here, and
here alone, are palliativesof real use."
This use of drugs for their direct primary effects by
means of a dosage sufficientlylarge and within certain
limits, always definite and precise,has led to a classi-fication
of drugs, according to their physiological and
some ,of their therapeutic actions, and not differing
materially from that introduced by Dioscorides, the
father of Materia Medica. Since his time drugs have
been classified into three principal classes,evacuants,
alteratives and specifics. The evacuants are ag an
subdivided with respect to the various routes by which
nature expels the morbid matters, such as purgatives,
expectorants and diaphoretics. Alteratives comprise
drugs which alter the course of morbid conditions,
modifying the nutritive processes while promoting
waste, and thus indirectlycuring some chronic diseases;
Principles of Homoeopath y. 19
such are Mercury, Iodine and Arsenic. They increase
metabolism.
Other classes are the antipyretics,emmenagogues,
styptics,anthelmintics, astringents,etc.,etc.
While such classification is very imperfect, and but
a partialdesignation of the propertiesof drugs, for every
drug may belong to several classes,and its specialpro-perties
in any class are at best vague and uncertain,
still,there is some advantage to those who want to avail
themselves of the direct drug effects,of this drug classi-fication,
based on some of their more marked pathoge-netic
and therapeutic effects. But it is entirelyuseless
for homoeopathic prescribing.
The homoeopathic method by means of drug ex-perimentation
on the healthy, so-called drug proving.
This is the only scientific and rational method of ascer-taining
the action of medicines. All other methods
have proved useless and misleading. The credit of
first teaching the necessity of proving drugs upon the
healthy belongs to Albrecht von Haller, a Swiss physi-cian.
As early as 1755, in his Swiss pharmacopoeia, he
distinctlytaught this,but nothing came of it. It was
not until Samuel Hahnemann, in 1796, practically
went to work and actually experimented with drugs on
himself and others that the first pure effects of drugs
became known and could be rationally employed in
practice. Hahnemann was thus the founder of the
science of drug pathogenesy, for it is a fact that up to
his tinl^no one had made any physiological experiment
with any drug; it is a fact that his experiments with
Peruvian Bark were the first ever made in the domain
of pharmacology, and are a model to this day. The
science of drug proving dates therefore from 1796, and
is the beginning of a rational therapeutics. With the
adoption of this principle,we have a key to unlock the
20 A COMPEND OF THE
sphere of action of every substance in nature, so far as
it can bear any relation to man's constitution in health
and disease. It is a creative principle,universal in its
application,true for all time. The introduction of it
into medicine marks an epoch in the development of
the healing art, before which time a science of thera-peutics
was impossible.
In the Organon, "" 108-9, Hahnemann says:
" There is,therefore, no other possible way in which
the peculiar effects of medicine on the health of indi-viduals
can be accurately ascertained; there is no aure,
no more natural way of accomplishing this object than
to administer the several medicines experimentally, in
moderate doses, to healthy persons, in order to ascer-tain
what changes, symptoms and signs of their influ-ence
each individual produces on the health of the
body and of the mind; that is to say, what disease ele-ments
they are able and tend to produce, since,as has
been demonstrated, all the curative power of medi-cines
lies in the power they possess of changing the
state of man's health, and is revealed by observation of
the latter."
Drug Pathogenesy is the record of testingdrugs on
the human body in varying doses, and on different
individuals of both sexes, and observing all the symp-toms,
subjectiveand objective,from the minutest dis-turbed
function and mental state to the grossest organic
lesion. "Simple drugs," says Hahnemann, "produce in
the healthy body symptoms peculiar to themselves,
but not all at once, nor in one and the same series,nor
all in each experimenter." Such a method of arriving
at a knowledge of drugs is universal in its application;
it includes all that can be learned from toxicology also.
The value of toxicology as illustrating drug action
is far inferior,however, to that of testing them in
Principles of Homceopathy. 21
health by means of small doses. Still it gives the ulti-mate
lesions and organic changes, and in this way-
interprets many symptoms of the provings; but when-ever
the organism is violently invaded by a foreign
destructive agent, no matter what the poison is,there
is usually much similarityof action, resulting from
nature's efforts to throw it off by all possible routes
outward from the body's distinctive vital centers, hence
the inevitable nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, nerve dis-turbances,
convulsions, paralysis,etc.,of most poison-ings.
The provings with small doses avoid these crude,
extreme effects,and, instead of producing them, rather
indicate them by the milder disturbances produced.
Different Applications of Drug-action. The knowl-edge
of what drugs will do when given to a healthy
subject can be utilized in two different ways, both legit-imate,
and it is a mere matter of experience and obser-vation
to determine which is the better. We can use a
drug to produce its physiological effects. If this is
desired, the drug must be given in a dose large enough
to produce symptoms " that is,in a so-called physio-logical
dose, differingwith each drug and determined
by experiment. This is the antipathic use of drugs,
and has nothi7igto do with Homoeopathy, or the law of
cure. It is,moreover, very limited in its application,
and objectionableon many grounds.
The other method, the homoeopathic relationship,is
universal in its application,and is not confined to any
specialdosage, provided such always is sub-physiologi-cal
" i. e., less than is required to produce symptoms.
Hence, drugs can act in tivo differentways when given in
disease,and we can have, therefore:
1. Homoeopathic relationship"when given for con-ditions
similar to those they are capable of producing.
Applicable to all drugs, and universal in its extent.
22 A COMPEND OF THE
(2) Antipathic or allopathic relationship "
when
given in physiological dosage to produce their first,
direct or physiological effects. This is, as wehave
stated before, of butvery
limited application.
The only difference in the application of drugs to
disease with the two schools of medicine is, that the
old school gives drugs solely to obtain their direct,
physiological effects, and rather favors combination of
remedies, while the homoeopathic school depends en-tirely
uponthe curative results obtained by giving the
single remedy ina sub-physiological dose for
symp-toms
similar to those it is known to produce.
For reference and further study, see Hahnemann's Essay on a
New Principle for Ascertaining the Curative Powers of Drugs in
his Lesser Writings, page 249.
Hahnemann's Essay on the Sources of the Common Materia
Medica, being Preface to Vol. II of the Materia Medica Pura.
The Physiological Action of Medicines, by Wm. Sharp, in Es-says
on Medicine, page 417.
General Principles of Drug Action, by K. Hughes, in Pharma-codynamics;
lecture IV-V.
An interesting account and practical application of the Doctrine
of Signatures can be found in Grauvogl's Textbook, $ 91-95.
Samuel A Jones, M.D.: "The Grounds of a Homoeopath's
Faith." An inspiring little work.
Dudgeon. "Lectures on Homoeopathy." Lect. VI, Isopathy.
Pkinciples of Homceopathy. 23
CHAPTER III.
THE EVOLUTION OF THE HOMCEOPATHIC
MATERIA MEDICA.
The Homoeopathic Materia Medica is a record of
the effects of drugs upon the healthy human organism,
embodying a knowledge of what drugs actually do
when brought in contact with the functional activity
of the body. The sources of this knowledge are,
1. The systematic provings.
2. Observations of cases of poisoning and over-dos-
ings, which Hahnemann and his discipleshave gath-ered
from general medical literature.
The First Book on Drug Effects. The first work
embodying such record is that of Hahnemann, entitled
Fragmenta de ViriMis Medicamentorum Positivis. It
is a Latin work, and published in Leipsic in 1805.
Twenty-seven drugs are treated of,containing symp-toms
Hahnemann himself had observed as effects of
poisoning or from excessive dosing, and of provings on
himself.* ''I have instituted experiments," he says in
the preface,'^ in chief part on my own person, but also
on some others whom I knew to be perfectlyhealthy
and free from all perceptibledisease."
"In those experiments which have been made by
myself and my disciples,every care has been taken to
* It is interesting to know the names of the pioneer medicines
whose pathogenic effects were first published in this work of Hah-nemann.
They are Aconitum, Arnica, Belladonna, Camphora,
Cantharis, Capsicum, Causticum, Chamomilla, Cinchona, Coccu-
lus, Copaiva, Cuprum, Digitalis, Drosera, Helleborus, Hyoscy-
amus, Ignatia, Ipecacuanha, Ledum, Mezereum, Nux vomica,
Opium, Pulsatilla, Rheum, Stramonium, Valeriana, Veratrum
album. Of these, Cantharis, Copaiva, and Valeriana, Hahnemann
did not include in his subsequently published "Materia Medica."
24 A COMPEND OF THE
secure the true and full action of the medicines. Our
provings have been made upon persons in perfect
health, and living in contentment and comparative
ease. When an extraordinary circumstance of any
kind " fright,chagrin, external injuries, the excessive
enjoyment of any one pleasure,or some event of great
importance " supervened during the proving, then no
other symptom has been recorded after such an event,
in order to prevent spurious symptoms being noted as
genuine. When such circumstances were of slight
importance, and could hardly be supposed to interfere
with the action of the medicine, the symptoms have
been placed in brackets, for the purpose of informing
the reader that they could not be considered decisively
genuine."
Hahnemann's Materia Medica Pura.
Five years now elapsed before Hahnemann pub-lished
anything more in the line of drug pathogenesy.
They must have been five years of intense labor and
experiment. Then appeared the first volume of that
great classical work, the " Materia Medica Pura," con-taining
the symptomatology of twelve medicines, six
of which had already appeared in the Latin treatise
published before.
Five years later appeared the second volume, con-taining
the symptomatology of eight medicines, which
was soon succeeded by the four other volumes, contain-ing
in all the pathogenic effects of sixty-one drugs.
It is a monumental work, the result of Hahnemann's
matchless penetration,wonderful insight and accurate
observation,of which he was a master. He was most
ably assisted in this work by thirty-fivefellow-provers,
among whom the names of Franz, Gross, Hartmann,
Herrmann, Hornburg, Riickert, Stapf, and Friedrich
Hahnemann are the most conspicuous and deserve to
be remembered by all students of Materia Medica.
26 A COMPEND OF THE
Sources of the Homoeopathic Materia Medica.
1. Hahnemann's Materia Medica Pura, published
in 1811, containing the pathogenesis of the great poly-
chrests "i. e., remedies of many uses and wide and fre-quent
application.
2. Hahnemann's Chronic Diseases, published in
1828, containing the so-called Antipsoric remedies,
those especiallyadapted to the cure of chronic diseases.
3. Dr. Jorg's Provings " a professor at the Univer-sity
of Leipsic and contemporary of Hahnemann, but
not one of his followers. He proved, among others.
Camphor, Digitalis,Opium, Arnica, Hydrocy. acid,
Ignatia. Some of his symptoms are quoted and in-cluded
by Hahnemann in the second edition of his
works.
4. Dr. Hering and the American Provers' Union.
5. Dr. E. M. Hale's contributions in his " New
Remedies."
6. Various provings and reprovings under the aus-pices
of the American Institute of Homoeopathy, vari-ous
State societies and individual provings published
in our journalistic literature. Also, Hartlaub and
Trink's pathogeneses, Stapf's additions, provings by
the Austrian Society,etc.,etc.
These records are at present collected in three great
works:
1. "Allen's Enclycopaedia," in ten volumes.
2. ''Cyclopaediaof Drug Pathogenesy," in four vol-umes.
These two works contain the symptoms obtained by
provings, and from records of poisoning, i. e., patho-genetic
symptoms.
3. "Hering's Guiding Symptoms," in ten volumes,
which also contains clinical or curative symptoms " i. e.j
observed on the sick.
Principles of Homceopathy. 27
The comparative value of the three sources of
symptoms, from records of toxicology, provings on
healthy and observation on sick.
1. Toxicology.Violent cases of poisoning never yield
a profitablesymptomatology, on account of the violent
invasion by foreign destructive agents. The organism
throws it off by all routes outward and away from its
distinctive life,hence vomiting, diarrhoea,convulsions,
etc.,common to all kinds of poisoning. On the other
hand, the records of poisoning give us the ultimate
action, the tissue and organic changes that the prov-ings
can only indicate,and thus they illustrate and
interpretthe provings.
2. Provings on the healthy. The provings with com-paratively
small doses avoid these violent, crude and
extreme effects,and instead of producing them, rather
indicate them by mild disturbances. We thus obtain
the finer and more characteristic action,and thus a
much more utilizable picture of drug effects. Fortu-nately,
the bulk of the homoeopathic Materia Medica is
made up from this source. The symptoms obtained
from toxicologicalobservations and from provings are
also called pathogenetic symptoms^ and the full record,
in the order of their development, is called the drug's
pathogenesis. The "Cyclopaedia of Drug Pathogenesy"
gives these in their fullest and most accurate form.
3. Drug effectsobserved in the sick. In the evolution
of the homoeopathic Materia Medica, another class of
symptoms not bearing the aristocracyof origin,charac-terizing
pathogenetic symptoms, were introduced, so-
called clinical or curative symptoms. This source was
almost unavoidable, so long as drug provings on the
healthy were limited in number and extent. The
symptomatology of most of the great constitutional or
anti-psoricremedies consists,in large part, of such clin-
28 A COMPEND OF THE
ical symptoms. They are such symptoms as disappearafter administering a remedy, and which are not found
among the pathogenetic effects,so far as the provings
have been made; but, wherever genuine, there can be
no doubt that they are possiblepathogenetic symptoms,
could we have full and accurate provings. In this way
the homoeopathic Materia Medica has been enlarged,
not always wisely, however; for,in order to discover
them amidst the symptoms of the disease in a patient,
much discrimination and training are required.
Hahnemann rightly says that this is a" subject for the
exercise of a higher order of inductive minds, and must
be left solelyto masters in the art of observation."
But, when found, they must be used tentatively and
cautiously until verified in practice. Only then can
they be admitted by the side of the true pathogenetic
symptoms and form a legitimate addition to the Mate-ria
Medica. Some of the greatest characteristics and
guiding symptoms belong to this class. These clinical
symptoms have been excluded from the "Encyclopaedia
of Materia Medica" by T. F. Allen, and, of course, can-not
have any place in the "Cyclopaedia of Drug Patho-
genesy"; but they are included in full in Hering's" Guiding Symptoms " and in all manuals and text-books
of Materia Medica. In some of these they are
designated by a distinguishing mark, usually O, but
in most of the later works even this caution is disre-garded.
The Hahnemannian Schema. In order to bring
this vast symptomatology within the ready reference
of the busy practitioner,Hahnemann, himself a physi-cian
of large and extensive practice,and, hence, in
need of labor-saving devices, re-arranged it in anatom-ical
order, which has been found so practicalfor every-day
use, that it has been universally adopted by all
Principles of Homceopathy. 29
our authors on Materia Medica. He begins with the
head and first records all the symptoms of the mind,
sensorium, etc.; then those of the eyes, nose, face, etc.,
downwards, placing together all the symptoms relating
to each section. In this way the original provings
were dissected,destroying the order of development of
the symptoms, but greatly facilitatingready reference.
The Repertory or Index of Symptoms. This is
another aid that has been found necessary to facilitate
the selection of the indicated remedy. It is a useful
appendage to the homoeopathic Materia Medica, by
means^ of which we can readily discover almost any
recorded symptom of any proven drug. The secret of
successful use of the " Repertory " is to get thoroughly
acquainted with any one of the different repertoriesby
constant reference to it,thus familiarizingoneself with
its peculiar arrangement. The most helpful of them
all,but the one requiring,also,most patient study, is
Boeninghausen's " Therapeutic Pocket Book." Its
arrangement is based on a practicalanalysis of symp-toms
into their component elements of location,sensa-tion
and conditions. (See Chapter V.)
How to learn Drug Pathogenesy and acquire a
working knowledge of the homoeopathic Materia Medica
has occupied the students of Homoeopathy from the
beginning of the school. Unquestionably, the provingof a drug is the truly natural and most effective method
of getting a knowledge of its action,and every physi-cian
and student should undertake such practicalstudy
as at least part of his study of materia medica. It is
the true, modern, scientific method by appeal to nature
herself. In the absence of this,and as a further aid,
the study of originalprovings, and of records of poison-ings,will go far to give a good general outline of the
action of a drug. This should be followed by the care-
30 A COMPEND OF THE
ful and repeated reading of the recorded symptoma-tology,
noting the parts especially involved, character
of the symptoms, the conditions under which they
occur, and the concomitants connected with each symp-tom.
In this way the peculiar and characteristic
symptoms and conditions will appear, which will be
the guiding symptoms in practice. These characteris-tics,
so-called key-notes, of the different remedies, must
be committed to memory, they form the stock in trade
of the homoeopathic prescriber, and will lead to the
further and more detailed and comparative study of
the remedies.
For further study, consult Hughes, "Sources of the Homoe-opathic
Materia Medica," in his work ou Pharmacodynamics; also
published separately by Leath " Ross, London.
Dr. John W. Hayward: "How to Learn Drug Pathogenesy, "
with discussion, in the Journal of the British Homeopathic Society,
January, 1895.
The following classical papers should also be consulted:
Constantine Hering: "How the Materia Medica should be
Learnt," in British Journal of Homoeopathy, Vol. II.
Dr. Meyer, one of Hahnemann's immediate disciples, on the
same subject, in North American Journal of Homceopathy, Vol. II.
Dr. Pope, in Monthly Homceopathic Review, VIII, and Vol. XXV.
Dr. H. R. Madden, in same journal, Vol. XIV.
Dr. R, Hughes, in same journal. Vol. XXIII, and in Hahne-
mannian Monthly, Vol. XXIX.
Dr. C. Wesselhoeft in JV. E. Medical Gazette, Vol. XXII.
Dr. Joseph C. Guernsey, in Hahnemannian Monthly, Vol. XXIX.
American Institute Report for 1894, Materia Medica Section;
opinions of thirty-one members. Edited by Dr. Frank Kraft.
Principles of Homceopathy. 31
CHAPTER IV.
DRUG PROVING.
The proving of medicines is a distinctive feature
of Homoeopathy and a logical necessity for applying
the law of cure; for,in order to meet morbid states
with drugs corresponding to them, we must know, and
therefore ascertain, what morbid states the different
medicinal substances produce. It consists in the sys-tematic
testingof a drug on the healthy human body,
in order to ascertain the changes which it is capable of
producing in the functions and organs.
Hahnemann, after viewing the subject in every pos-sible
light,and examining every method for ascertain-ing
the action of drugs, came to the conclusion that the
only efficient way was" to test the medicines singly
and alone on the healthy human body."
General Rules for Drug Proving. The medicinal
substance which is to be proved must be tested singly,
without any admixture of any foreign substance, except
an inert vehicle when necessary for its administration.
Nothing of a medicinal nature should be taken so long
as it is desired to observe the effects of the proving.
Each drug should be proved, not only in its crude
form and lower material dosage, but with higher atten-uations
as well. When the latter are used and symp-toms
obtained, a specialsusceptibilityon the part of the
prover probably exists and some of the most important
characteristics may be elicited from him. Only actu-ally
observed facts should be recorded, free from all
theories of drug action. Such purely positiveobserva-tion
is for all time, and possesses the same value after
the lapse of centuries as it does at the time when first
32 A COMPEND OF THE
observed. If any deductions be drawn from the ob-served
facts, they should not be incorporated into the
text, but kept separate and distinct. For this reason,
Hahnemann called his Materia Medica 'Tura" (pure),
because free from all theories,only a record of observed
facts. Hence, in making a proving, great precaution,
control experiment, accuracy, close observation, and
the strictest conscientiousness are essential.
Directions for provers. The prover should not de-part
in any material way from any of his ordinary
habits of life,because his life is based on these habits
and conformed to them, and any marked change in
these must result in changes more or less important,
which might be put to the account of the drug; hence,
his food, drink, sleep, exercise, and habits generally
must be such as he has been accustomed to. He
should observe himself before beginning a proving, as
every one is liable,even in the best state of health, to
slightvariations in his sensations and functions. Hav-ing
thus discovered what symptoms he is liable to nat-urally
and without any drug influence, he must avoid
attributingthese to the drug to be proven, unless, in-deed,
they are more pronounced than ever.
Dosage required for proving. As a general rule,
begin with a comparatively small dose and increase
it gradually till distinct symptoms make their appear-ance.
The most useful doses are those that are just
sufficient to produce distinct symptoms.
Female provers. It is very important to test all
drugs in regard to their effects on the female organism,
hence women, married and unmarried, should contrib-ute
to provings.'' Before beginning the record of a
proving, she should inscribe in the note-book a state-ment
of her age, temperament, the sicknesses which
S4 A COMPEND OF THE
Re-pro vings. The provings should be repeated in
different individuals and in the same prover. In order
to avoid the admission of accidental symptoms, it is a
safe rule, although not absolute, not to adopt any
symptoms unless it has been found in several provers.
By comparing one proving with another, and ascer-taining
the constancy with which the different symp-toms
appear, the characteristic symptoms are made
manifest. It is to be remembered that all individuals
are not alike susceptibleto all the effects which a drug
is capable of producing; therefore,the need of a large
number of experiments is apparent, in order to obtain
a complete view of the action of a drug.
Heriiig's Rules for Provers.
(1) Make a first experimental test with a single,
moderate-sized dose.
(2) If no symptoms are produced, take it every
two or three hours, or change the time of the day for
taking it.
(3) If still no symptoms, try higher potencies,to
which might be added this rational,additional rule: if
still no symptoms appear, go lower in the scale of at-tenuations
and give material doses,increasing size until
symptoms appear.
In the nature of things, some of the symptoms take
time to develop, therefore the first experiments with
small doses should not be hurried. The prover should
learn to wait, for some of the late appearing symptoms
are frequently the most characteristic.
How to Describe Symptoms Obtained from a Prov-ing.
The greatest minuteness and accuracy should be
observed. A sensation should be described by some
familiar comparison. State how the symptom is ef-fected
by different circumstances, i. e., the drug's mo-dalities,
as position of body, motion, rest, eating,fast-
Pkinciples of Homceopathy. 35
ing, day, night, indoors, open air, weather, etc. No
circumstance, however trifling,should be omitted which
may in any way tend to indicate the characteristic ac-tion
of the drug and so precisionizeit. All such con-ditions
of aggravation and amelioration should be care-fully
recorded as they express the drug's individuality
most clearly and universally.
The sides of the body on which symptoms occur
should always be stated, many remedies acting more
markedly on one side than another.
The times of occurence, aggravation or amelioration,
are also very important, some remedies having distinct-ive
morning aggravation of some or all of their symp-toms,
others at night, etc. As an illustration of a per-fect
description of a symptom, take the following of
Hahnemann's proving of Nux: " Headache beginning
some hours before dinner, increased after eating,then
violent shooting pain in left temple, with nausea and
very acid vomiting, all of which symptoms disappeared
on lying down."
The three essential features of every complete
symptom are, therefore,
(1) Location.
(2) Sensation.
(3) Condition of aggravation or amelioration (mo-dality),
which is the most important, and it ought to be
the aim of all provers to observe symptoms with these
features well in mind.
Never separate symptoms that appear in groups or
with marked concomitants. Hahnemann always left
together symptoms appearing in groups, if he consid-ered
them reallyconnected; for instance, he observed,
forty-fiveminutes after taking Pulsatilla,a cramp in
the legs,in the evening, after lying down, with a chill;
and at another time, in the evening, an aching, draw-
36 A COMPEND OF THE
ing pain in the legs up into the knee, with more chilli-ness
than during the day.
Primary and Secondary Drug Effects. It is a law
of drug action, according to which the administration
of each medicine causes, at first,certain abnormal
symptoms, the so-called primary effects of medicines,
but afterwards, by reaction of the organism, a condition
entirelythe opposite,where this is possible,of this first
effect is produced " the secondary effects,for instance,
narcotic substances produce primarily insensibilityand
secondarily pain. In order to produce the primary
effects,material doses are required.
In his essay, entitled "Suggestions for Ascertaining
the Curative Powers of Drugs," Hahnemann says:
''Most medicines have more than one action; the first
a direct action,which gradually changes into the second
(which I call the indirectly secondary action). The
latter is generally a state exactly the opposite of the
former. In this way most vegetable drugs act. But
few medicines are exceptions to this rule, i. e., metals
and minerals. The thorough examination of drug
provings, as in our possession at present, does not
justify any division of drug-symptoms into primary
and secondary. There are indeed in every proving, as
Dr. Hering has shown, primary and secondary symp-toms,
in the sense that some symptoms appear earlier and
others later in the course of the proving, but although
these may appear opposed to each other, they are all
to be regarded as drug symptoms, and, as such, indi-cate
the remedy.
Hahnemann's method of conducting provings. Dr.
Hering thus describes it: "After he had lectured to
his fellow-workers on the rules of proving, he handed
them the bottles with the tincture; and when they
afterwards brought him their day books, he examined
Principles of Homceopathy. 37
every prover carefully aboutevery particular symp-tom,
continually calling attention to thenecessary
accuracyin expressing the kind of feeling, the pain
orthe locality, the observation and mentioning of
everything that influenced their feelings, the time of
day, etc. When handing theirpapers
to him, after
they had been cross-examined, they had to affirm that
it wasthe truth, and nothing but the truth, to the best
of their knowledge, by offering their hands to him"
the customary pledge at the universities of Germany,
instead ofan
oath. Thiswas
theway
in whichour
master builtup
his Materia Medica."
For fuller study see Organon, $ 105 to 145.
Dudgeon, Lectures on Homoeopathy, page176. Lecture VII
and VIII.
Sharp's Tracts on Homoeopathy, Essay VII. Provingsin Health.
Dunham, Science of Therapeutics: The Dose in Drug Proving,
page136. Directions for Drug Pro
vers, page350,
A COMPEND OF THE
CHAPTER V.
INTERPRETATION OF DRUG
PATHOGENESIS.
The homcBopathic Materia Medica, as it is accessible
at present to students, is a mass of symptomatology,
arranged, as a rule, according to the Hahnemannian
Schema. The " Cyclopaedia of Drug Pathogenesy " is
the exception, which endeavors to give the symptoms
in the order of their development; but, in order to
practically utilize the provings, the anatomical ar-rangement
of the symptomatology is desirable. Besides
this arrangement, the bulk of the symptomatology can
be analyzed and interpretedhelpfully,and thus simpli-fied.
All provings of drugs give a symptomatology
composed
(1) Of general symptoms.
(2) Of peculiar or characteristic symptoms.
(3) Of certain elective affinities to specialorgans or
functions.
General symptoms of drugs. These are common to
all drugs and appear in every proving. They can
practically be eliminated. Such are symptoms like
feeling of malaise, loss of appetite,weakness, distress,
headache, etc. Such general symptoms, unless ampli-fied
by accompanying conditions or modalities^are of com-paratively
little value for the prescriber,because their
presence does not point clearly to any one particular
drug. We must find in our symptomatology, and make
use of such symptoms as serve to individualize and
give character to a drug, and hence these are called
Characteristic Symptoms. Each drug is an entity,
and can express its disease producing properties,i. e.,
Principles of Homceopathy. 39
pathogeneticforce,in a way peculiar to itself. Those
symptoms that do this most perfectlyare the drug's
characteristic symptoms. The ideal characteristic
symptom is one which is possessed by no other than
the individual drug of which it is predicated and to
which it gives character as an individual. We learn
to distinguishdrugs very much as we learn to distin-guish
men, not by their general features,which are com-mon
to all,but rather by the peculiar expression and
shape and habits by which we recognizethe individual.
It may be a small and insignificantthing and yet one
that is most expressive of the person's individuality.
So in drugs it is not the general effect upon the stom-ach
or bowels or the general debility produced that
serve to characterize it as the remedy, but rather the
peculiar, characteristic uncommon, prominent symp-toms.
These have also been designated as keynote*symp-toms,
by Dr. Guernsey, and as guiding symptoms, by Dr.
Hering.
From a physiological point of view they may appear
trivial and unimportant, but for purposes of prescrib-ing
they are paramount in importance. These charac-teristic
symptoms of drugs may be found in one of
three divisions of its pathogenesis. Either
* " While the keynotes,according to Dr. Guernsey, will,in each
instance, form an unfailing guide, the requisite conditions and
corresponding totalityof the symptoms in such cases being inevit-ably
present. If this doctrine is true " and in practice it has been
confirmed by much experience " it is so because these so-called key-notes
essentially represent a profound dyscrasia of the organic ner-vous
system.',either in such sensations of pain as precede even the
first functional derangements, and are intended as premonitory ad-monitions;
or in such sensations as arise in connection with, and
in conseqTience of, the initial disorder in these most interior organs
of vegetative life."" J. H. P. Frost in Hahnemannian Monthly, Vol.
II, page 443.
40 A COMPEND OF THE
1. In the localityor tissue or organ affected.
2. In the sensations.
3. In the modalities and concomitants.
These are the three grand divisions around which the
symptomatology of drugs can be grouped, or into which
they can be divided for practicalstudy.
Locality or seat of action. Every drug affects some
organ or system of organs or tissue or region more de-cidedly
than others, and there especially or primarily
expends its power. This is not a local action merely,but a localization of the drug^s specificnature. It ap-pears,
no matter by what avenue the drug is introduced
into the body. A drug may come into direct contact
with the blood, and thereby with every part of the or-ganism,
and yet only certain tissues or organs will be
affected by it" that is,only these tissues or organs will
react against the foreignelement. This specificlocaliza-tion,
or specificityof seat of a drug, is known as its elec-tive
affinity,by which it preferably chooses certain cells,
tissues or organs, to manifest its action. In a general
way, we see that Belladonna affects principally the
brain as its arena for action, and this organ, therefore,
has a preferred relationshipto Belladonna. So, in the
same way, Aconite affects the heart, Ergot the uterus,
Bryonia the serous membranes, Podophyllum the duo-denum,
Rhus the skin; Tellurium, the tympanum;
Glonoin the vaso-motor centre in the brain; Phosphor,
the periosteum.
This elective affinitycannot be explained, but it ex-ists.
It was recognized even before Hahnemann and
homoeopathic provings, and has been made the founda-tion
of a system of practiceby Rademacher, a German
physician and contemporary of Hahnemann, who him-self
traces the thought to Paracelsus.
AVhile each drug has a preferred locality,based on
42 A COMPEND OF THE
dullness and drowsiness of Gelsemium, the hysterial
contradiction of its symptoms of Ignatia, the melan-choly
of Aurum, etc.
Modalities and Concomitants. Modalities are con-ditions
influencing or modifying drug action. They
are the phenomena of time, place, circumstances on
which the development and appearance of the symp-toms
depend. Every drug has its own mode of action,
manifests itself in a way peculiar to itself,distinguish-ing
it from every other. It acts best under certain
conditions, in certain bodily and mental constitutions,
which present, therefore, the most favorable ground
and environment for the full and free manifestation of
the drug's individuality. Just as a plant thrives best
in certain conditions of soil,climate, elevation, etc. "
needs, in short, for its perfect development, a suitable
environment, " so a drug must be similarly situated to
enable it to express itself clearly and fully. It is of
the greatest importance in drug proving, as well as in
prescribing homoeopathically, to note the peculiar
method in which a drug invades the animal economy,
its aggravations and ameliorations, the times of the
day, and conditions of the weather, when the action is
most pronounced. For instance, the marked increase
of pain on motion of Bryonia, the relief of headache
by wrapping head up warmly of Silica,the marked
preference of the left side of the body of Lachesis, the
aggravation of all the symptoms from 4 to 8 p. m. of
Lycopodium, the relief by heat of Arsenic, the aggrava-tion
of damp weather of Dulcamara, are characteristic
conditions of great value, clearly expressing the pecu-liar
genius of these drugs and are paramount in esti-mating
their place in the symptomatology. But, while
they hold this important place, they must not be
studied independently of the whole of a drug's action.
Principles of Homceopathy. 43
for this is needed for their interpretation. It is a fact
that the study of characteristics alone leads quickly
to practical results,but also to permanent mediocrity
in knowledge of drug action.
Boeiiiiighaiisen'smethod of interpreting symp-tomatology
consists essentiallyin the selection from
the symptoms of the patient, and from those of the
drug, of their elements, rather than try to obtain the
complete symptom, which latter consists of a seat or
location a sensation and a modality; but, in the present
incomplete state of our Materia Medica, most of the
symptoms are fragmentary, and but few are complete
in the above sense. By the use of Boeninghausen's
method, these fragmentary symptoms are supple-mented
by clinical observation of the curative effects.
A remedy is selected for a case that is found to possess
in its symptomatology marked action (1)in a certain
location; (2) to correspond with sensation,and (3) pos-sess
the same modality; without necessarilyhaving in the
proving produced the very symptom resultingfrom the
combination. It is to be inferred that a full proving
would have it,however. For instance,a patient with a
bearing pain in the left hip,relieved by motion, greatly
worse in the afternoon, would receive Lycopodium, not
because Lycopodium has so far produced in the healthy
such a symptom, but because, from the study of its
symptoms as recorded in the Materia Medica, we do
find that it affects the left hip prominently (locality);that its pains, in various parts of the body, are "tear-ing"
(sensation); and that its general symptoms are
relieved by motion and aggravated in the afternoon
(modality.) The only justificationfor such analysis
and synthesis of symptoms is the imperfection and
limitation of our provings and especiallythe success
following the application of the newly constructed
44 A COMPEND OF THE
symptom, out of these elements, in removing similar
symptoms in the patient, hence in curing, and the
reasonableness of the presumption that future, com-plete
provings will develop the missing links of the
complete symptom of the drug. It is in entire har-mony
with the fact thatevery genuine symptom has
these three factors"
locality, sensation, and modality "
these, when combined, constitute a perfect symptom.
It is not usual to get these, inany one symptom, from
any one prover,but they may
be found scattered
through the various provings; hence the legitimacy of
Boeninghausen's method.
Read in this connection:
T, F. Allen's paperbefore the World's Medical Congress at Chi-cago,
1893, entitled, "The Selection of the Homoeopathic Eemedy,
especially in regard to Boeninghausen's Method," published, with
discussions, in North American Journal of Hommopathy, August,
1893.
For further practical illustration of the use of Boeninghausen's
method see an instructive, analytical report of a case of "Progres-sive
Muscular Atrophy Cured with Phosphorus," by T. F. Allen,
reported in Ilahnemannian Advocate, July 15, 1896.
For further study, consult
"Organon," "$ 153, 164, 165, 178.
Also, the preface to Hering's "Guiding Symptoms," Vol. I.
"Hirschel's Rules and Examples for the Study of Pharmacody-namics,"
Thos, H. Hayle.
Principles of Homceopathy. 45
CHAPTER VI.
DRUG RELATIONSHIP.
The study of drug pathogenesy, and its application
to the treatment of disease, is furthered by the recogni-tion
of different relationships that drugs occupy to
each other. Among these, the most apparent, but of
least practicalvalue, therapeutically,is the
Family relation, or collateral,side relation (con-geners),
such as belong to the same, or allied botanical
family, or chemical group; thus similarity in origin is
its claim. In a very broad way, drugs may be divided,
according as they belong, to one of the three kingdoms
of nature, thus drugs from the animal kingdom, vege-table
or mineral. It is not difficult to note certain
great features, common to drugs, belonging to one
kingdom; but similarity of effects is more marked as
different members of a botanical family, or chemical
group, are examined. Thus the Ranunculacese family,
comprising drugs like Aconite, Pulsatilla,Cimicifuga,
etc.,show certain symptoms of marked similarity" a
family likeness not to be mistaken. This is soiiietimes
so great as to seem identical. For instance,in the case
of Ignatia and Nux vomica. Both come from the same
order of plants, both contain Strychnia, to the pres-ence
of which, undoubtedly, this similarity in effect
can be attributed. Now, when this similarity ap-proaches
identity of effects,it has been found that they
do not follow each other well. For instance, in a given
case of stomach disorder, indicating Nux vomica, it is
injudicious practice to follow this by Ignatia, on ac-count
of its too close resemblance to the symptoms of
the former remedy, the results being unfavorable, dis"
46,
A COMPEND OF THE
turbing rather the normal evolution of the curative
influence.
Antidotal Relation. Certain drugs antidote each
other therapeutically, because they produce similar
effects locallyin certain parts of the organism or on
certain tissues and functions or generally throughout
their action as a whole. The antidotal relation is based
therefore on similarity and is operative according to
the law of cure, similia similibus; and again the anti-dotal
relationship between drugs may be general or
partial,according as the similarityin their action is
general or confined to certain parts only. Thus cam-phor
antidotes the effects of cantharis only so far as
these concern the mucous membrane of the urinary
tract,while the same tissue elsewhere is not antidoted
by it.
Such antidotal relation is of use in practice,by which
we can modify or annul an undesirable action of a
drug, for instance, Anacardium bears an antidotal re-lation
to Rhus, especially in its action on the skin,
Hepar to Mercury, Chamomilla to Coffea and Pulsa-tilla,
etc. An interesting phase of the antidotal rela-tionship
is the mutual antidotal or at least modifying
power of the higher and the lower attenuations of the
same drug, as well as the antidotal relationshipbetween
the chronic effects of the crude drug and the attenuated
drug, as is seen in treating chronic tobacco poisoning
with Tabacum high. This holds true at times in acute
conditions as has been frequently verified in poisoning
with Rhus where a high attenuation will prove the
quickest antidote.
Concordant or Compatible Relationship. Hahne-mann
first made the valuable, practical observation
that certain remedies act better when they are given
in a certain series. There seems to be an afiinitybe-
Principles of Homceopathy. 47
tween them. They are not of the same natural family,
but of wholly dissimilar origin; but they have marked
similarities in action. Such remedies may follow each
other well; they point to a deeper and closer relation-ship
than that of mere family, or similarity in origin.
Such relationship exists,for example, between China
and Calcarea, Pulsatilla and Sepia, Belladonna and
Mercurius, Nitric acid and Thuja, Mercurius and Sul-phur,
etc.
Complementary Relation exists between drugs that
complete a cure that is begun by another and carried
to a certain point, where it is taken up by another
drug and completed. If a remedy is allowed its full
time of action, it will often lead up to a complement-ary
remedy " that is, the symptoms remaining un-touched,
or brought to the surface, will often suggest
a drug known to be complementary to the one given.
This useful relationshipof certain group of drugs is of
great service in the treatment especiallyof chronic dis-eases.
Such relationship exists between Belladonna
and Calcarea; Apis and Natrum muriaticum; Aconi-
tum and Sulphur; Chamomilla and Magnesia phos-
phorica; Thuja and Silica.
Inimical relation is the very opposite of the concor-dant
and complementary. There seems to be a lack of
harmony between certain drugs, as is also seen in cer-tain
chemical affinities. This may be so marked that
when following each other in the treatment of a case,
disturbance shows itself and the cure is interfered with
and the whole case mixed up. Such a relation seems
to exist between Apis and Rhus, between Causticum
and Phosphorus; Mercurius and Silica; Sepia and
Lachesis and others. Do not give these remedies after
each other. It is well to note these inexplicable condi-tions
of drug action, based on friendly or inimical
48 A COMPEND OF THE
relationship. If it be remembered that drugs are em-bodied
forces, distinct entities with distinctpowers
to
modify human lifeas
manifested in functional activity
and organic changes we can readily seethat certain
forcescan
work advantageously side by side; their joint
result, thus following each other, being greater than
eitherone singly; and again certain others cannot do
so,but
mere contact or propinquity upsetting the
orderly progressof the
case.
For further study see Boeninghausen, "The Sides of the Body
and Drug Afi"nities."
Mohr, "The Inimical Relationship of Drugs."
Bering's contributions in the Archiv.
"Farrington's Clinical Materia Medica." Lecture I.
50 A COMPEND OF THE
from the clinical thermometer to the stethoscope,and
all other instruments of precision of modern diagnostic
skill. All the results thereby attained furnish him with
the objectivephenomena which the patient presents.
These go far to establish the diagnosis of the pathologi-cal
condition. The totalityof symptoms ascertainable,
with the help of our numerous diagnostic aids,furnishes
a much more complete picture, analytically,than was
possible in Hahnemann's time, when the main reliance
had to be placed on the subjectivesymptoms. These
latter are still of paramount importance in deciding
between drugs that are capable of producing a similar
change in the organism; they thus serve to determine
the one most nearly indicated remedy from among a
group of more or less related remedies.
The totalityof the symptoms must he the sole indication
to determine the choice of a curative remedy.
Hahnemann's teaching on this point is expressed in
" 18 of the Organon, as follows:
" It is then unquestionably true that, besides the
totalityof symptoms, it is impossible to discover any
other manifestation by which diseases could express
their need of relief;hence, it undeniably follows that
the totalityof symptoms observed in each individual
case of disease, can be the only indication to guide us
in the selection of a remedy."
And, again, in " 70, he says: "All that a physician
may regard as curable in diseases,consists entirelyin
the complaints of the patient and the morbid changes
of his health perceptible to the senses " that is to say,
it consists entirely in the totalityof symptoms through
which the disease expresses its demand for the appro-priate
remedy; while, on the other hand, every ficti-tious
or obscure, internal cause and condition, or imag-inary,
material, morbific matter are not objects of
treatment."
Principles of Homceopathy. 51
The totalityof the symptoms consists in the sys-tematic
ascertaining of all the symptomatic facts nec-essary
to determine the curative remedy. The totality
of symptoms includes every change of state of body
and mind that we can discover or have observed, or
that has been reported to the physician; thus, every
deviation from health. It includes every subjective
symptom that the patient can describe correctly and
every objectivesymptom the physician can discover by
his senses, aided by all diagnostic instruments. In
examining the patient, a definite,systematic plan
should be followed. The regional plan, the Hahne-
mannian Schema form, is perhaps the best,as it fol-lows
a natural, anatomical arrangement.
Special Precautions to be Observed. Be patient in
getting at the symptoms, especiallyin chronic diseases.
There is a great difference between patients; some can-not,
others will not, give much aid in. analyzing their
case; some are morbidly desirous of imparting symp-toms
and will perhaps, unconsciously, warp their state-ment
by exaggeration.
Do not interrupt the patient in his first recital too
much; lead him on, if he wanders off. When he has
finished,cross-examine him, by careful questioning,to
supply any deficiencies.
Avoid asking leading questions,as far as possible,and not so that the patient must answer yes or no.
Accept no diagnostic suggestions, or pathological
theories, or former opinions of other physicians, as
these can be no guide for the selection of a curative
remedy.
Be sure and get the modalities, especially the influ-ence
of the times of day, weather, season, position of
body, exercise,sleep,etc.
Pay specialattention to the mental state of the patientand his intellectual functions.
52 A COMPEND OF THE
Take the apparent, immediate cause of his sickness
into special account; this is often of importance for
selectingthe remedy, even long afterwards.
In chronic diseases,especially,investigation should
be extended to the family history of the patient;
heredity is a potent factor in determining disease.
The history of the patient's previous diseases, par-ticularly
eruptions of any kind that may have been
treated with strong local remedies and so suppressed;
also,as to all forms of local treatment generally,and
the patient's medical habits, the use of patent medi-cines,
purgatives, mineral waters, etc.
Notice any alternation of groups of symptoms, such
as gastric and rheumatic symptoms, rheumatic and
catarrhal, bronchial and skin affections,etc.
Remember that certain bodily conditions have cer-tain
mental states " depression and constipation, anx-iety
and heart affections,hopefulness and consump-tion,
etc.
Remember that, when a certain train of symptoms
are present in some one organ or apparatus of the
body, there are almost sure to be present certain other
symptoms, objective and subjective,in other organs
often, anatomically, quite remote, and of which the
patient probably is hardly aw^are until his attention is
called to them by the physician.* For instance, cer-tain
pains in the head co-exist with certain uterine
affections,or anomalies of vision, etc.
Write down the record of the symptoms, beginning
a new line with every symptom. This will greatly
facilitate study and reference to allied remedies.
Subjective symptoms are a description by the pa-tient
of his feelingsas they appear to him" his sensa-tions.
The abilityto express and describe sensations
* Dunham.
Principles of Homceopathy. 53
is not common to all patients; and hence, subjective
symptoms must always be interpretedby the physician
to a large extent. The patient may deceive his physi-cian
in stating them, as is frequently the case with
hystericalsubjects, or he may not be able to describe
"them accurately enough to be utilized,as in the case of
young children.
Objective symptoms are, as a rule,the most import-ant.
They are all such as the physician can ascertain
by means of his senses, aided and unaided.
In many phases of disease,and with children and
frequently in old people, where organic changes can go
on to an alarming extent without very marked, sub-jective
disturbance, objective symptoms are all we
practicallyhave on which to base a prescription. In
mental diseases,objective symptoms are most import-ant
for purposes of prescribing.
Objective symptoms are of special value when they
occur during sleep,as then the system is relaxed.
Objective symptoms that are not speciallydiagnostic
of the disease,or of some pathological state,when pres-ent,
are important for purposes of prescribing. On the
other hand, objective symptoms that are diagnostic of
certain pathological, states, so-called pathognomonic
symptoms^ are of great importance in guiding to a cer-tain
class of remedies and excluding other groups, even
though such may seem superficiallyindicated.
The Totality in Acute Diseases. In the treatment
of acute diseases,much of this investigationis neces-sarily
dispensed with, the physician learns to use his
eyes and other senses intuitivelyand thus to get hold
of certain characteristic conditions quickly that are
known to correspond to certain remedies. Epidemic
conditions come to his aid here for rapid and usually
successful prescribing.
54 A COMPEND OF THE
The Collective Totality of Epidemic Diseases.
During the prevalence of epidemic diseases, colds,
grippe, eruptive diseases,etc.,it is often the case that
two or three remedies cover the field. It is needless to
go into every detail of the symptomatology, since the
epidemic remedies, when found, correspond to the col-lective
totalityof numerous cases and types of the epi-demic
disease; each single case of an epidemic disease
presenting only a partial picture of the true totalityof
the epidemic.
Interpretation of the Totality. Having taken a
full stock of the case and thereby obtained the totality
of symptoms, before prescribing the homoeopathically
indicated remedy, correct all hygienic, dietetic and sani-tary
errors. Often a change in the mode of life or
abstinence from some hurtful article of diet will be all
that is necessary. But after these things have been
attended to, whatever symptoms remain will call for
medical treatment.
Having obtained a record of the totalityof symp-toms,
a winnowing process must be instituted, by eli-minating
the general symptoms and interpreting the
totalityaccording to the relative value of the symp-toms,
and thus individualize the case under treathient.
In "83, Hahnemann says:" Individualization in the
investigationof a case of disease, demands, on the part
of the physician, principally unbiased judgment and
sound sense, attentive observation and fidelityin noting
down the image of the disease." Hahnemann's first
rule here is that the characteristics of the case must be
similar to the characteristics of the drug. " 153. The
more prominent, uncommon and peculiar features of
the case are speciallyand almost exclusivelyconsidered
and noted, for these,in particular,should bear the closest
similitude to the symptoms of the desired medicine,if that
Principles of Homceopathy. 55
is to accomplish the cure. By this individualization,
then, we eliminate the general symptoms common to
similar pathological conditions,and present to view the
individual patient as the pathological process affects
him. The morbid forces of the disease unite themselves
more or less with the inherent weaknesses and disease
tendencies,hereditary or acquired,of the individual and
give us his peculiar and therefore characteristic symp-toms.
Characteristic or Peculiar Symptoms. Hahnemann
calls especialattention to the "more striking,singular
and uncommon, peculiar signs and symptoms of a
case of disease" which are chieflyto be kept in view.
These symptoms of themselves may be of no special
value, but become valuable or characteristic by their
conditions of aggravation or amelioration,their concom-itants
or locality. Transient odd and peculiar symp-toms
are however not so important as such as affect the
patient'sgeneral condition, hence the modalities,con-ditions
of aggravation and amelioration effects of heat,
cold, weather, position,times of day, etc,
are most im-portant.
The modalities of a drug are the pathognomo-nic
symptoms of the Materia Medica.
Mental symptoms of drugs are most important, and
are a very pronounced feature in the pathogenesis of
certain drugs. Notice the mental state of the patient
particularly; does he suffer patiently or otherwise.
They are also of great importance prognostically;
improvement in the mental condition often precedes
bodily and general improvement.
First, or Oldest, Symptoms. In the treatment of
chronic diseases,the first indications of a departure
from health are of the greatest value,particularlythose
occurring before there was any treatment. After a
56 A COMPEND OF THE
remedy has been given, and old symptoms reappear in
the inverse order of their development, it is an indica-tion
that the cure is progressing favorably, and no
other medicine should be given. So, also,in acute
diseases,the value of first symptoms is great. In diph-theria
for instance, the side upon which it begins may
decide the choice of the remedy.*
Etiological Factors. As a further aid in arriving
at a utilizable totality of symptoms, the immediate
cause of the present illness, if determinable, or its
exciting factor,will be a great aid in the selection of
the remedy. Such causes may be remote in time, and
not of any apparent connection with the present state.
This Hahnemann also teaches in " 5, Organon, as fol-lows:
" The physician, in curing, derives assistance
from the knowledge of facts concerning the most proba-ble
cause of acute disease,as well as from the most sig-nificant
points in the entire history of a case of chronic
disease; aided by such knowledge he is enabled to dis-cover
the primary cause of the latter,dependent mostly
on a chronic miasm." This gives,on the one hand, an
important place to the first,or oldest,symptoms and to
causes however remote; and, on the other, it elevates to
commandhig importance, signs of constitutional defects,
the underlying psoric conditions. Unquestionably,
such frequently modify and relegate to comparative
insignificancesymptoms of acute disorder,and favor
the selection of a deep-acting,anti-psoricremedy even
in acute diseases. Such a selection would be justified
by its relationship to a truer similaritythan would be
expressed by an uninterpreted totalityof symptoms.
Late Symptoms. The more recent symptoms are
valuable as being the latest expression of the diseased
* S. Kimball, in Homceopathic Physician, June, 1895.
58 A COMPEND OF THE
learn to view symptoms in perspective. The natural
history of diseases must be learned, as well as their
different stages and characteristic signs accompanying
them.
The use of pathology in interpreting the symptoms
is seen in the treatment of a case of typhoid fever,
where the fever,restlessness,etc., might call to mind
Aconite as a remedy; but a little closer examination
would show this to be but a partial and apparent
homoeopathic relationship. Pathology would interpret
the fever and restlessness of the typhoid patient and
associate them with the coming prostration,the septic
condition, the asthenia "conditions wholly foreign to
Aconite, which can deal only with sthenic inflamma-tions
and healthy blood.
Some symptoms are primary, others reflex. After
an organic disease has become established,secondary
modifications of health take place,which do not offer
valuable symptoms for purposes of prescribing the
curative remedy. Really valuable guiding symptoms,
if found at all,will be in the earlier state of the patient
before the organic changes have taken place; thus, in
the treatment of an organic kidney disease,a curative
remedy would be more likely to be found in the earlier
symptoms that preceded the development of the drop-sy,
anemia, etc.,characteristic of the later stages.
Pathology also teaches the important difference be-tween
the absolute, pathognomonic symptoms and the
contingent or peculiar symptoms of a given case of
disease.
General or absolute symptoms are those which are
common to all patients sufferingfrom the same disease
and they are essential for purposes of diagnosis. Thus
the fever, sore throat and rash are general or absolute
symptoms of Scarlatina, while again, the fever,cough.
Principles of Homceopathy. 59
physicalsignsand bloody sputa are absolute symptoms
of Pneumonia.
Contingent or peculiar symptoms are those which
vary with the individual and are not essentiallypatho-gnomonic
of the disease^but always of the individual'
patient. They are therefore the characteristic symp-toms
of the patient'stotality of symptoms, and hence
most essential in selectingthe remedy. Hence the rule:
The greater the value of a symptom for purposes of
diagnosis,the less its value for the selection of the homoeo-pathic
remedy and vice versa.
The seemingly unimportant, peculiar,contingentsymp-toms
of the patient,though valueless for purposes of diag-nosis,
are the chiefguiding symptoms for the selection of
the homoeopathic remedy.
Totality of quality rather than of quantity, is the
basis for homoeopathic prescribing. In any case of dis-ease
it is necessary to discover in what way, that is,by
what peculiar,symptoms, does one case of illness differ
from every other of the same disease. How does this
patient'styphoid or rheumatism differ from the typhoid
or rheumatism of every other patient. This special
totalityof quality, or of characteristics will unerringly
lead to the curative homoeopathic remedy. This is the
Hahnemannian Similarity. It exists between the char-acteristic
symptoms of the patient and the characteristic
symptoms of the drug, and we must individualize each
case in order to arrive at this desirable goal,for the
selection of the hemoeopathic remedy. This differs
from the mere PathologicalSimilaritywhich consists in
matching diseased conditions or pathological processes
as determined by pathological anatomy. It adapts the
remedy to a disease rather than to the individual patient.
Thus, in the treatment of pneumonia, a remedy
would be given that actually produces lesions similar
60 A COMPEND OF THE
to the pneumonic process. Phosphorus has actually
produced hepatization of the lungs in animals poisoned
by it; hence, it should be the curative similar, as it is
undoubtedly the pathological similar. So Arsenic pro-duces
a gastro-enteritisand ultimate lesions just like
cholera, and should, therefore, be the curative remedyin this disease,since it is the pathological similar.
But experience denies this deduction. To be curative,
a remedy must correspond to the characteristic symp-toms,
whether these are based upon the ultimate patho-
logico-anatomical lesion or not. Unquestionably, the
similarityin pathological process or lesion is one of
the most important factors in the totality,but not the
determining one in every case.
Examples of pathological similarities between dis-eases
and drugs. The gastro-enteritisand paralysis of
Arsenic; epileptiform convulsions of Hydrocyanic acid;
broncho-pneumonia of Tartar emetic; anaemia of Ar-
gentum; catalepsyof Cannabis indica; tinnitus auri-
um of Quinine; Meniere's disease of Salycilicsoda; colic
of Plumbum; asthma of Ipecac; tabes of Ergot; fatty
degeneration of Phosphorus; glycosuria of Uranium;
meningitis of Belladonna, etc, etc.
Use of Pathological similarity. Often in the course
of acute diseases,and in children,where no character-istic
symptoms can be obtained, pathological corres-pondence
may be the only recourse; but it is otherwise
in the treatment of most chronic diseases. Here the
method of the Hahnemannian similarity yields best
results.
Method of Treating Slight Ailments. It is a mis-take
to prescribe remedies for every slightailment. It
is best to follow Hahnemann's directions,Organon,
" 150: "Whenever a patient complains of only a few
insignificantsymptoms of recent origin,the physician
Principles of Homceopathy. 61
is not to regard them as a disease requiring serious
medical aid. A slight change of diet and habits of
living generally suffices to remove so slightan indispo-sition.
Absence of Characteristic Syinptoms in the To-tality.
There are cases where it is almost impossible
to obtain any very characteristic symptoms; these are
difficult to handle. " 165. Or there may be only one
or two prominent symptoms, which may obscure the
remaining features of the case, so-called
Partial or One-sided Diseases. The best rule is to
be most painstaking in elicitingsymptoms, and then
make the best uses of the few symptoms to serve as
guides in the selection of the remedy. Although the
remedy may be but imperfectly adapted, it will serve
the purpose of bringing to lightthe symptoms belong-ing
to the disease,thus facilitatinga choice of the next
remedy. Organon, "" 173-184. Diagnostic symptoms
of a disease,although of least importance for selecting
the remedy, may be all we have in a given case for
guidance. If so, the remedy corresponding to them can
be chosen by paying special attention to their modali-
ities,i. e.j conditions of aggravation, concomitants,
etc. For instance, in dysentery, the tenesmus is an
important, diagnostic symptom, but no guiding one
to any remedy, since many medicines have this general
symptom; but if attended with any modalities or con-comitants,
it may become a leading indication; for
instance,Nux vom., the tenesmus and pain in the back
cease with the stool; in Mercurius, they continue after
it. In this way a general symptom may become a
characteristic one, leading to the choice of the curative
drug.
For further study consult:
"'Organon, ' ^ 153-173.
62 A COMPEND OF THE
'* The Relative Value of Symptoms," by S. A. Kimball, M.D.,
in Homceopathic Physician, June, 1895. Avery
valuableessay.
** The Examination of the Patient for a Homceopathic Pre-scription,"
by P. P. Wells, M.D. Transactions Int. Homceopathic
Association, 1888, page18.
"The Genus Epidermicus, "
by A. McNeil, M.D. Transactions
of Hahnemann Association, 1889.
"The Selection of the Homoeopathic Eemedy," by T. F.
Allen, M.D. Eead before World's Medical Congress in Chicago,
1893; published in North American Journal of Homoeopathy, August,
1893.
"The First Prescription," by O. M. Drake, M.D., in Homeeo-
pathic Physician, January, 1895.
"Dudgeon's Lectures on Homoeopathy." Lecture XI: On the
Selection of the Remedy. This gives an account of the different
views held by the representative older disciples of Hahnemann,
and isvery interesting from an
historical point of view.
"The Totality of Symptoms." Apaper
read before the Amer-ican
Institute of Homoeopathy, by Wm. Boericke, M.D. Pub-lished
in the Hahnemannian Advocate, August, 1896.
Principles of Homceopathy. 63
CHAPTER VIII.
THE SIMILIMUM.
The indicated remedy in any case is the remedy
that corresponds to the totalityof symptoms, as inter-preted
according to the relative rank of symptoms, and
not one covering, merely some isolated characteris-tic
or key-note symptom, or, on the other hand, one
that corresponds merely to the pathological lesion.
The objectionsto the key-note system of selecting the
remedy are its disregard for the fall study of the
remedy and elevation, instead of some minor often
clinical symptom, yielding at best only palliative
results,while the objection to the pathological basis is
its incompleteness, being only a partialpicture of the
totalityof symptoms and therefore an unreliable basis
for curative prescribing.
The similimum is the most similar remedy corres-ponding
to a case, one covering the true totality of
symptoms, and when found, is always curative,and in
incurable cases, it is the best possiblepalliativeremedy.
Unfortunately, in the present state of our Materia
Medica, and other limitations of our art, the Similimum
in any case of illness,is not always discoverable.
Nevertheless, a cure is possible,albeit,not so prompt
as it would be if the chosen remedy were the Simili-mum
to the case. While this is the ideal to be sought,
the prescriber must more frequently be satisfied with
the selection of a mere similar instead. Fortunately,
the very conception of similarityis one of relative near-ness
and does not express an absolute relation;it is com-parative
always, thus a drug is more or less similar
according to the nearness of its correspondence to the
totalityof symptoms. Moreover, the experience and
64 A COMPEND OF THE
practice of the homoeopathic school teaches that any-one
of several more or less similar remedies may be
used with alike good results,that is,it may be suffici-ently
similar to bring about nature's reaction.
The merely similar remedy, though falling short of
the dignity of the Similimum is not thereby removed
from capacity of curative service,but the curative res-ponse
is not as direct and prompt as results from the
administration of the similimum which must ever be,
in every homoeopathic prescription,the ideal to be
sought.
The selection of the Similimum involves its adminis-tration
singly and without admixture of any other
medicinal substance.
The single remedy is the necessary corollary to the
similar remedy. It is to be given alone, not alternated
or mixed with any other*. Only then can its pure
effects be evolved and estimated, and the singleremedy
must be given in the smallest dose that will bring
about nature's reaction. The single remedy does not
mean a simple remedy. All chemical salts,which are
composite substances, the juice of plants, like Opium,
a most marvelously compounded substance, are all
single remedies and used as such in homoeopathy.
Any single substance that has been proved upon the
healthy,as an entity and whose pathogenesis is known,
can be administered; but it must be given unmixed
with any other medicinal substance, so as to obtain its
own peculiar drug force unmodified by any other.
It is the similar relationship alone that constitutes
the homoeopathicity. The size of the dose has com-
* As early as 1797, Hahnemann wrote, in Hufeland's Journal,
that for several years he had never administered anything but the
single remedy at a time, and never repeated the dose until the
action of the first had expired.
66 A COMPEND OF THE
CHAPTER IX.
THE SECOND PRESCRIPTION.
In the treatment of chronic diseases,Hahnemann's
instructions to write out the symptoms and arrange
them according to the rules given, is an absolute neces-sity
to attain accuracy of knowledge of the possibleindicated drugs and the selection of the most similar
remedy. This procedure ensures also a ready selection
of the second prescription,since the record will answer
all of the necessary questions and determine the right
course to be pursued. The prescriber'sattitude after
the first prescription,in the treatment of chronic dis-eases
especially,ought to be passive. The first and
foremost rule is to wait and watch further developments.
The selected homoeopathic remedy simply stimulates
the vital forces to reaction,and we must await results.
No further interference is called for when any one
of the following conditions presents itself:
1. Short aggravation of the Symptoms. This is a
curative effect of the remedy. Do not interfere with it
unless the aggravation continues and the general
state of the patient is worse, in which case an antidote,
i. e., a homoeopathic remedy for the latest symptoms is
indicated. Usually on^ dose of such an antidote is all
that is required to modify the condition, and then the
case can progress without further interruption.
2. General Amelioration of the Symptoms. It is self
evident that such a condition should not be disturbed
by further medication, on the principle of lettingwell
enough alone. If the disease gets better from within
outward, from above downward from more vital to less
vital parts, the improvement is permanent and radical.
Principles of Homceqpathy. 67
So an improved mental state is always a favorable in-dication
of a well chosen remedy.
3. Reappearance of old Symptoms. The return of
some of the older symptoms, if not too severe, indicates
a curative action of the remedy administered, if they
appear in the reverse order of their development,i. e., if
the latest symptoms disappear first.
4. Appearance of new symptoms. If such come on
after the administration of a remedy, they may be
clinical symptoms of the remedy, and if there is at the
same time general improvement, they need not be con-sidered,
as they will disappear. If they persist,the
homoeopathic antidote will soon rectifythe passing
increase of the morbid phenomena. Under all these
conditions, no further medication is required. So long
as improvement is thus progressing,it is follyto change
the remedy, and it is not advisable even to repeat the
dose.
Other Favorable Symptoms. In acute disease,it is
a favorable symptom if the patient falls asleep soon
after taking the remedy; also,if he feels generallybetter,
though the local symptoms may not show any improve-ment.
The improvement here is probably largely
psychical, and will soon be followed by the necessarilyslower improvement on the physical plane.
The mental condition and general behavior of the
patient,if more tranquil and natural, are among the
most certain and intelligiblesigns of incipientimprove-ment,
especiallyin acute diseases.
Should this progressive evolution of the symptomstowards health cease,
A further review of the case is required, and a new
remedy is to be chosen when "
(1) The mental state shows an embarrassed, help-lessstate instead of the tranquilityof improvement.
68 A COMPEND OF THE
(2) When no change of any kind follows the first
prescription,after waiting long enough for reaction,
which is,however, a variable matter, according to the
chronicity of the case and character of the remedy
chosen, the shortest period to be allowed in a chronic
disease being one week, and preferably a longer time.
(3) When new and important symptoms and old mo-dalities,
especiallyaggravations that persist,characterize
the case, proving that the remedy was not homoeopathic
to the case, and acted only as a pathogenetic agent in
producing new symptoms. This is the danger of select-ing
a remedy only remotely similar instead of the
similimum. The second remedy will often be found a
complementary drug of the first.
Three Precautionary Rules of Hahnemann. The
author of Homoeopathy, in his work on" The Chronic
Diseases," has established three precautionary rules,
which he has impressed in the most urgent manner
upon the minds of his disciples,and which no homoeo-pathic
physician can violate without committing the
greatest faults in practice. They are the following:
1. To suppose that the doses which he had recom-mended
for every anti-psoricremedy, and which expe-rience
had taught him to be the proper doses, are too
small.
2. The improper selection of a drug.
3. The too great haste in administering a new dose.
Precautionary Rule No. 1. " Smallness of dose. The
debates relative to the smallness of doses are far from
being closed. The more that has been written on that
subject for some years past, the more contradiction has
been heaped upon contradiction. What is a truly re-markable
circumstance in this discussion" a circum-stance
which is by no means creditable to the oppo-nents
of small doses" is the fact that the manner in
Principles of Homceopathy. 69
which Hahnemann gradually arrived at the introduc-tion
of the small doses in practice,in consequence of
repeated trials,observations, experience, seems either
to have been forgotten or entirelyignored.
It is experience, and nothing else,which led the
carefully-observingauthor of that immortal text-book
to that minuteness of doses which has now become an
object of derision. In the second edition of " Chronic
Diseases," after having spoken of homoeopathic aggra-vations,
Hahnemann continues thus: ^^ If the original
symptoms of the disease continue ivith the same intensity
in the succeedingdays as in the beginning, or if this inten-sity
increases,this is a sure sign that,although the remedy
may be homoeopathic,yet the magnitude of the dose will
make the cure impossible. The remedial agent, by its
powerful disproportionate action, not only neutralizes
its genuine homoeopathic effects,but established,more-over,
in the system, a medicinal disease by the side of
the natural disturbance,which is even strengthened by
the medicine."
That portion of the preceding quotation, which is
printed in italics,embodies a great truth which has
never been denied, which has been abundantly con-firmed
by the numerous results of the allopathic treat-ment
of chronic diseases,and is,therefore,well worthy
of attentive and serious consideration. Such results
are even witnessed in the comparatively easy treatment
of syphilis,from the abuse of mercury, which is then
secondary syphilis.
Hahnemann continues afterwards: ^'This pernicious
effect of too large a dose may be observed already in the
first sixteen, eighteen or twenty days of its action. In
such a case it becomes necessary either to give an anti-dote,
or if the antidote should not be known, to admin-ister
a very small dose of such antipsoric as corre-sponds
most homoeopathically to the symptoms of both
70 A COMPEND OF THE
the natural and the artificial disease. If one anti-
psoric should not be sufficient,another, of course, oughtto be given, after having been selected with the same
care."
How little an excessive dose is capable of displayingits full curative powers may be seen from the followingremarks of the author of homoeopathy: "The excessive
action of the otherwise homoeopathic remedial agent
having been subdued by the proper antidote or by
antipsoricremedies, the same agent may then be ex-hibited
again, but of a much higher potency, and in a
more minute dose." But this agent would have no
effect,if a first powerful dose of it had not accomplishedin the beginning all the good that the agent is capableof doing.
Finally, Hahnemann observes: " Nothing is lost by
giving even smaller doses than those which I have in-dicated.
The doses can be scarcely too much reduced,
provided the effects of the remedy are not disturbed by
improper food. The remedial agent will act even in
the smallest quantity,provided it corresponds perfectly
to all the symptoms of the disease, and its action is not
interfered with improper diet. The advantage of giv-ing
the smallest dose is this,that it is an easy matter to
neutralize their effects in case the medicine should not
have been chosen with the necessary exactitude. This
being done, a more suitable antipsoric may be admin-istered."
This advice ought to be carefullyconsidered, especi-ally
by the beginners,together with the warning which
Hahnemann has expressed in the preface to his work
on" Chronic Diseases." " What would they have
risked,if they had first followed my indications and
then employed small doses ? The worst which would
have befallen them was, that those doses would have
been of no avail. It was impossible that they should
Principles of Homceopathy. 71
do any harm. But instead of exhibiting small doses,
they employed, from a want of sense and of their own
accord,large doses for homoeopathic use, thus exposing
the lives of their patients, and arriving at truth by
that circuitous route which I had traveled upon before
them with trembling hesitation,but the end of which I
had just reached with success. Nevertheless, after
having done much mischief, and after having squand-ered
the best period of their lives,they were obliged,
when they were really desirous of curing a disease,to
resort to the only true method which I had demonstra-ted
to them a long while ago.*
Diet and Regimen during Homoeopathic Treat-ment.
Hahnemann and the early homoeopathists laid
great stress on a strict diet; but this is a field that has
been greatly neglected in modern times, largely be-cause
it was found that the power and efficacyof the
well-chosen remedy were able to manifest themselves,
notwithstanding great license in diet and hygiene.
Nevertheless,a return to Hahnemann's careful restric-tions
may be advisable in many cases. His teachings,
in this regard, are as follows:
"The minuteness of the dose required in homoeo-pathic
practice,makes it necessary that every other
kind of medicinal influence that might cause a dis-turbance
should be avoided in the diet and regimen of
patients,in order that the highly rarified dose may not
be counteracted,overpowered, or disturbed by extra-neous,
medicinal influences. In chronic cases, there-fore,
it is especially necessary to remove all obstacles
of this nature with the greatest care, since they exer-cise
a deleterious effect.'*
Regimen in Acute Diseases. Here the instinct of
the patient usually guides him aright,and his cravings
* Quoted from Von Boenninghausen.
72 A COMPEND OF THE
canbe judiciously gratified. " The food and drink
most commonly craved by patients suffering from
acute diseases is generally ofa palliative and soothing
kind, and not properly ofa
medicinal nature, but
merely adapted to the gratification of a certain
longing."
" In acute diseases, the temperature of theroom and
the quantity of covering should be regulated entirely
according to the wishes of the patient, whileevery
kind of mental exertion and emotional disturbance is
to be carefully avoided."
For further study, read:
" brganon," ^ 253-263.
"The Second Prescription," by Dr. J. T. Kent, in Proceed-ings
of the Hahnemannian Association, 1888, page 71.
"Practical Hintson
the Management of Chronic Cases." by
W. P. Wesselhoeft, M.D., in Transactions of Hahnemannian Asso-ciation,
1889, page 8.
"Procedure in the Treatment of Inactive, Progressive Chronic
Diseases," by T. J. Kent, in Hahnemannian Advocate, July, 1896.
74 A COMPEND OF THE
present one of the three chronic miasms that are the
real causes of all chronic disease.
Drug Diseases. On the other hand, prolonged drug
use in heroic doses does produce a species of chronic
disease that is most difficult to cure, and when such
have attained a considerable hold, it would seem as if
no remedy could be discovered for their radical cure.*
Organon, "" 74 and 75.
" It is a matter of regret that we are still obliged to
count among chronic diseases, very common affections
which are to be regarded as the result of allopathic
treatment, and the continual use of violent, heroic
medicines in large and increasing doses. Examples of
that kind are: the abuse of Calomel, Corrosive subli-mate,
Mercurial Ointment, Nitrate of Silver,Iodine and
its ointments. Opium, Valerian, Quinine, Digitalis,etc.,
the use of purgatives persistedin for years, etc." To
which might be added the modern abuse of Coal tar
products, patent medicines. Such wanton treatment
weakens the organism, abnormally deranged and
wholly altered. Irritabilityand sensibility are in-creased
or decreased, hypertrophy and atrophy, soften-ing
and indurations in certain organs and organic
lesions are produced. Such are some of the results of
nature's efforts to protect the organism against com-plete
destruction by aggressive treatment with perni-cious
drugs.
The Evolution of Halinemann's Doctrine of
Chronic Diseases. After Hahnemann's discovery of
the Law of Cure in 1790, he worked incessantly inves-
* The treatment of drug diseases by the use of the highest po-tency
of the drug producing them is to be tried in these obstinate
chronic affections,it is an entirely consistent homoeopathic proce-dure.
Principles of Homceopathy. 75
tigatingthe action of drugs on the healthy, and prac-ticed
according to the newly-discovered law and by
the light and aid the new Materia Medica was able to
give. The success of this practical application of the
Law of Cure was strikingin the extreme. Especially
true was this in the treatment of acute diseases and
epidemics. As to chronic diseases,in which allopathic
treatment was so often worse than useless, homoeo-pathy
rarely failed to improve or ameliorate the condi-tions
in a very short time. But, though the patients
were often very much relieved,they were not cured,
for their complaints would return more or less by
many unfavorable circumstances, such as errors of
diet, poor hygienic conditions, unfavorable weather,
mental emotions, etc. Their return, under these cir-cumstances,
was generally attended with the appear-ance
of new symptoms, often more troublesome and
more difficult of removal than before. Even when the
treatment of these chronic diseases was conducted
strictlyaccording to the doctrines of the homoeopathic
art,Hahnemann himself owned that " their commence-ment
was cheering, their progress less favorable, their
issue hopeless." "And yet," he adds, " the homoeo-pathic
doctrine itself is built upon the impregnable
pillarsof truth and must ever remain so." Whence
this inferior success, this absolute want of success in
the prolonged treatment of chronic diseases? If
homoeopathy is based upon a natural law " nature's
law for healing" and the conditions for carrying out
the law are observed, there ought not to be any failure
" only success. Why, then, this failure at times in
certain patients and even typical acute diseases; why
this almost constant failure in chronic disease?
He says that, from the year 1816-17, the solution of
this problem occupied him day and night, and at
length he succeeded in solving it. Like all of Hahne-
76 A COMPEND OF THE
mann's work, it was the fruit of long and patient
observation and study and experiment.
Ten years later,in 1827, he was ready to communi-cate
this new discovery, as he believed this epoch-
making theory, to the profession. He summoned to
Coethen, where he was then practicing as physician to
the reigning prince,two of his most esteemed disciples,
Doctors Stapf and Gross, and communicated to them
his theory of the origin of chronic diseases and his dis-covery
of a completely new series of medicines for their
cure, exhorting them to test the truth of his opinions
and discoveries in their own practice. He disclosed
this to these two disciplesin case his death " for he was
then in his seventy^third year "should have occurred
before the publication of his book on the subject. This
remarkable book, entitled " The Chronic Diseases,
Their Peculiar Nature and Homoeopathic Treatment,"
duly appeared the next year, 1828. With the publica-tion
of this book, supplementing the Organon, the high-
water mark of medical philosophy was reached. A few
generations hence this will be generally acknowledged.
Cause of Recurrence of Chronic Diseases.
His researches and reflections,Hahnemann tells us
in his work, led him to the conclusion that the cause of
the constant recurrence of chronic diseases after their
apparent or partial removal by the homoeopathic rem-edy,
and their recurrence with new and grave symp-toms,
was that the symptoms manifesting themselves
at any one time were only a portion of the deeply-seated
fundamental malady, whose great extent was shown
by the new symptoms that appeared from time to time.
He believed it to be a chronic miasm, which the body
could not throw off spontaneously and unaided, not by
careful diet or regimen, but that it rather increased in
intensity and extent from year to year.
Principles of Homceopathy. 77
"The most robust constitution, the best regulated
life,and the greatest energy of the vital powers, are
insufficient to extinguish them." " 78, Organon.
The Skin Phase of Chronic Diseases.
His further research showed that the obstacle to the
cure seemed to lie in a previous scabious eruption,
which the patient frequentlyacknowledged having had,
and from which he often dated all his sufferings. He
believed that chronic diseases occurred on the suppres-sion
artificially,or disappearance from any cause of a
scabious,itching,eruption from the skin in otherwise
healthy persons. Itch,in Hahnemann's time, was a
term which covered many other affections besides the
one now known as scabies or itch. This itch dyscrasia
he called Psora, meaning thereby the internal itch dis-ease,
with or without any present skin symptoms. It
is the source of all varieties of skin diseases,abnormal
growths, tumors, deformity, mental diseases,etc. In
short, it is the parent of all chronic diseases,with the
exception of venereal diseases. It is the oldest,most
universal and obstinate of all miasmatic diseases. The
leprosy of the Israelites,the epidemic St. Anthony's
fire of the middle ages, were but forms of this taint. In
these forms the whole malignity seemed to be expended
on the skin. Greater cleanliness and generally better
modes of living have modified its local manifestations,
so that,at the present day, it is more in herpetic and
eczematous diseases that we meet with it. The readi-ness
with which these are suppressed, the readiness
with which ordinary practice dries up discharges of all
kinds, the immense development of local treatment,
and the increase of all kinds of specialists,whose ten-dency
is to suppress local manifestations of disease,has
driven this psora within to more vital regions,and thus
has lead to the great increase of chronic maladies that
afflict mankind.
78 A COMPEND OF THE
The appearance of skin symptoms, or discharge from
a mucous surface, shows that nature is making an
effort to localize on the outskirts of the body the mor-bid
process, removed as far as possible from the more
vital parts of the organism, where it would be much
more mischievous. Therefore, forcing it back into the
interior by strong, local treatment must necessarily
work detrimentally to a radical and permanent cure.
" Every external treatment of a local symptom whose
aim is to extinguish it on the surface of the body with-out
curing the internal miasmatic disease " such, for
example, as that of destroying a psoric eruption on the
skin by means of ointments, healing up a chancre by
the use of caustic, destroying the granulations of
sycosisby ligature,excision or the application of a hot
iron "is not only useless, but injurious. This perni-cious
method, in such general use at the present day,
is the chief source of the innumerable chronic diseases
that oppress the human race. This is the most crimi-nal
practicephysicians can adopt, and it has, notwith-standing,
been very generally practiced till the present
time, and taught, ex cathedra, as the only one. " 203,
Organon.
The Underlying Facts of the Psoric Theory. With-out
the necessityof accepting the Psoric doctrine as a
whole, the homoeopathic school has found in it an excel-lent
working hypothesis, and certain facts are undeni-able
and go far to establish the essential truth of the
doctrine. These are the following:
1. In many patients,the even and regular clinical
course of diseases is from some course or other within
themselves interfered with.
2. Remedies apparently indicated and chosen ac-cording
to the law of similars, fail to accomplish what,
as a rule, they ought.
Principles of Homceopathy.
3. This is especiallytrue of most chronic diseases.
4. It is a further fact that frequently the suppres-sion
or disappearance of a skin disease is followed by
serious mischief in more vital organs, as respiratory
affections (asthma), after eczema capitis,etc., showing
a reciprocal relation between the skin and internal
organs.
It is the presence of this unseen but nevertheless very
active and perturbing factor that accounts for these con-ditions.
Now, this fact of recognition is the mark of
genius. The theory of its precisenature is of compa-ratively
little importance and may or may not be true.
That it is nothing but suppressed itch in the narrow
sense is not true. That, however, suppressed skin affec-tions
in a wider acceptation than what we now-a-days
understand by itch are an indubitable factor in the pro-duction
of many forms of obstinate and occult chronic
sufferingfar removed from local skin manifestation,is
an established truth. The Hahnemannian conception
of Psora is a very real thing, the Psora theory an in-tensely
practical thing and that is its passport to the
general practitionerwhose aim is to cure permanently
rather than palliate and relieve for the time being.
Perhaps it would have been better not to try and define
the inner essence of this dyscrasia. The celebrated
Botanist Schleiden, used to open his lectures on Botany
by frankly confessing that he did not know what a
plant was. So we may not know what Psora is,ex-cept
that it consists of the sum of all the biological
obstacles which resist,deface, complicate and alter the
natural course of diseases and interfere with the action
of the apparently well selected homoeopathic remedy.
In this wider sense, as indicating cachexia or dyscrasia,
the Psora theory is founded in nature and truth.
Though Hahnemann's theory is not proven, it is a most
admirable working theory, a stepping stone by means
80 A COMPEND OF THE
of which we attain remarkable results in the treatment
of disease.
Anti-psoric remedies are such as show in their
pathogenesis a tendency to act from within outwards,
from above downwards, who thus abound in skin
symptoms and are deep and long-acting remedies;
hence, they are of special value in the treatment of
chronic disease and for the eradication of inherited
and constitutional disease tendencies. They show their
greatest medicinal power in highly attenuated form
and do not bear frequent repetition. Many of them
are wholly inert in their crude state and require the
pharmaceutical processes of homoeopathy to develop
their latent medicinal force.
The principal anti-psoricremedies are Sulphur, Cal-
carea, Lycopodium, Sepia, Silica, Natrum mur., Gra-phites,
Arsenic, Alumina, etc. *
Hahnemann's Suggestion in Regard to Adminis-tering
Anti-psoric remedies. " The best time for
'^ The following is Hahnemann's list of anti-psoric remedies,
but there are quite a number of others that ought to be included,
which have been proved and introduced since his time:
Agaricus,
Alumina,
Ammon. carb.,
Ammon. mur.,
Anacardium,
Antimon. crud..
Arsenic,
Aurum,
Baryta carb.,
Borax,
Calcarea carb.,
Carbo animalis,
Carbo vegetabilis,
Causticum,
Clematis,
Colocynthis,
Cuprum,
Digitalis,
Dulcamara,
Euphorbium,
Graphites,
Guaiacum,
lodum.
Kali carb.,
Kali nitricum,
Lycopodium,
Magnesia carb.,
Manganum,
Mezereum,
Muriatic acid,
Natrum carb.,
Natrum mur..
Nitric acid.
Petroleum,
Phosphorus,
Phosphoric acid,
Platina,
Sarsaparilla,
Sepia,
Silica,
Stannum,
Sulphur,
Sulphuric acid,
Zincum.
82 A COMPEND OF THE
to the more common and comparatively innocent form,
he says in his "Chronic Diseases": "The miasm of the
other common gonorrhoeas seems not to penetrate the
whole organism, but only to locallystimulate the uri-nary
organs. They yield either to a dose of one dropof fresh parsley-juice,when this is indicated by a fre-quent
urgency to urinate, or a small dose of Cannabis
or Cantharis, or of Copaiva, according to their different
constitution and the other ailments attending it.
These should, however, be always used in the higherand highest dynamizations, unless a psora, slumberingin the body of the patient, has been developed by
means of a strongly-affecting,irritatingor weakening,old-school treatment. In such a case, frequently,sec-ondary
gonorrhoeas remain, which can only be cured
by anti-psorictreatment."
The sycotic form of gonorrhoea differs in being a
much more serious matter. Hahnemann describes it
as follows: "The discharge is from the beginning
thickish,like pus; micturition is less difficult,but the
body of the penis swollen somewhat hard; the penis is
also,in some cases, covered on the back with glandu-lar
tubercles, and very painful to the touch."
The characteristic features of sycosis are the wart-like,
cauliflower excresences around the genitals,soft,
spongy, bleeding easily,recurring when violently re-moved,
frequently emitting a specific,fetid fluid.
All heroic, external treatment is forbidden, tending
to produce the sycoticdiathesis;only the external use
of Thuja is permitted. For internal treatment. Thujais the great anti-sycotic.
The violent suppression of a sycotic,urethral dis-charge
is often followed by chronic suffering,which is
characterized by peculiar symptoms and conditions,
among which the following have frequently been
observed :
Principles of Homceopathy. 83
Symptoms of Suppressed Sycosis. Great muscular
debility-is the most characteristic physical sign; anx-iety;
anguish; fear of associatingwith strangers; going
into a crowd; great irritability;dysmenorrhcea, before,
during and after flow,with great debility;sterility;in-flammation
of the Fallopian tubes, ovaries; neurasthe-nia;
asthma; bronchial affections; distorted finger
nails,eruption in the palms of the hands; dryness of
the hair, etc.; rheumatism setting in shortly after the
suppression of the discharge or remova^l of the warts;
ankle and knee are speciallyaffected;pains worse be-fore
a storm and during the day.
Eradicative Possibilities of Anti-psoricTreatment.
The greatest evil of these miasms, is that they are
made organic and rendered permanent by heredity. It
is this fact of heredity and the pollution of the vital
fluids * entailed thereby that modifies not only the
course of acute diseases,but establishes and makes a
permanent field for chronic diseases. This hereditary
giftand this organized field give rise to certain bodily
constitutions and certain dyscrasic conditions. Acute
diseases and possibly the action of remedies run their
course in the track marked out by these bodily constitu-tions,
which again are largely modified by the latent
psoric taint.
Every practitioner of experience arrives sooner or
later at this fact " namely, that in order to get a true
and practical understanding of diseases,the ground,
the human organization modified more or less by
heredity, upon which ground diseases feed,and which
is the battlefield of the malignant forces of disease from
* " The vaccinated syphilis of one organism passing into
another, ncay not manifest itself by eruption, or chancre or visible
syphilitic taint at all,but may fall upon the nervous life and be a
raging and unappeasable lust in afterlife." "J. J. Garth Wilkinson.
84 A COMPEND OF THE
without combining with the impurities within, the char-acter
of this ground must be studied; for,according to
its composition, it will certainly modify one way or
another the course of diseases that from time to time
invade it. The presence of this modifying something "
this perturbing and yet determining factor " this psoric
taint,was recognized by Hahnemann. His facts are
true; his theory, true or not, is,nevertheless,an admir-able
working theory, leading to remarkable, successful
results.
Pre-natal Treatment by Means of Anti-psoricRem-edies.
This is a peculiar field for Homoeopathy. By
means of the deeply-acting anti-psoric remedies, the
lower strata of perverted life where it first establishes
itself in impurities in the finest fibres and cellular
structures, can be restored. Medicines chosen wiselyand given to the expectant mother, can benefit the
coming child. Frequently, with the indicated remedy,
anatomical and structural deficiencies" as cleft palate,
hare lip,eczema, etc. " can be prevented in families
where such have appeared, because the taint that gave
rise to them in former pregnancies has been neutral-ized
by the timely administration of the homoeopathic
anti-psoricremedies.
Suggestions for the Treatment of Chronic Diseases.
1. Before beginning the treatment of a chronic dis-ease,
it is necessary to inquire carefully if the patient
has been infected by venereal disease, and, if so, to in-stitute
treatment against such infection; but more fre-quently
it will be found that psora complicates the case.
2.' Ascertain, also, the nature of medical treatment
that the patient had received, either from drugs or
mineral baths, etc.,in order to understand the devia-tions
which this treatment had produced in the origi-nal
disease.
Principles of Homceopathy. 85
3. Patient's age, mode of living, diet, occupation,
domestic circumstances, and even his social position,
should be considered, in order to see how the cure may-be
favored or impeded thereby.
4. Patient's mental condition and temperament
should not be overlooked, as it may be necessary to
direct or modify his mental state by psychical means.
5. Several interviews may be necessary before the
physician will find himself enabled to determine the
state of the patient'scase as perfectlyas possible,and
to mark the most conspicuous, characteristic or peculiar
symptoms, which alone will guide him to the first anti-
psoric,anti-syphiliticor anti-sycoticremedy for the
beginning of the cure. "" 206-209, Organon. *
Partial Diseases and Local Affections. Diseases
presenting an insufficient number of symptoms, usu-ally
only one or two prominent ones, though compara-tively
rare, are met with. Here, the first selected rem-edy
will only be partially adopted and will,therefore,
excite accessory symptoms, which, however, are not
wholly due to the remedy given, but were latent,and
the remedy served to arouse them; therefore,the new
totalityof symptoms will enable the prescriber to dis-cover
the truly indicated remedy. Organon, "" 172-184.
The so-called local affections occupy a prominent
place among partial diseases. The term is applied to
diseased conditions appearing upon external parts, and
are mostly of recent origin and caused by external
injury. Affections of external parts, requiring me-chanical
skill,properly belong to surgery alone; as,
for instance,when external impediments are to be re-moved
that prevent the vital force from accomplishing
* See, also, Hahnemann's Golden Kule, page 93, and "Chronic
Diseases," page 125.
8f) A COMPEND OF THE
the cure, as the opening of cavities,either for the re-moval
of cumbersome substances, or to form an outlet
to effusions,etc. "" 185-6, Organon.
Besides the local affections,requiring surgical and
mechanical treatment, there are local affectionsthat
proceed from an internal morbid state. Such involve
the entire state of health of the whole organism, since
all its parts are so intimately connected as to form an
indivisible whole in feelingsand functions; hence, all
curative measures should be planned, with reference
to the state of the whole system and by means of in-ternal
remedies. This is done most effectuallyby
including the record of the exact state of the local
disease to every other change that is perceptiblein the
state of the patient. All these symptoms ought to be
united in one perfect image and a remedy chosen
according to this true totality. Organon, "" 190-193.
Objections to Local Application of a Medicine
Simultaneously with its Internal Use. It may seem
as if such a practice were conducive to more rapid im-provement,
but it is objectionable in local affections
dependent on some chronic miasm, on account of the
more rapid disappearance of the local phase than of
the internal disease. This often leads to the decep-tive
impression that a perfect cure has been accom-plished.
The local application of non-homceopathic rem-edies
renders the case even more difficult. Local
symptoms should not be obliterated by caustics, es-
charotics, or by excision, since thereby the symptoms
necessary for a choice of a curative remedy are ob-scured,
and, also, the chief evidences of a permanent
cure are taken away; for,if the local symptoms disap-pear
after the administration of the homoeopathic rem-
Principles of Homceopathy. 87
edy, we have established evidence of the achievement
of a radical cure and of complete recovery from the
generaldisease. "" 196-200, Organon.
The Local Disease is Nature's Effort to Relieve by
Derivation. '' When the system is affected with some
chronic disease which threatens to destroy vital organs
and life itself,and which does not yield to the sponta-neous
efforts of the vital force,this endeavors to quiet
the inner disease, and to avert the danger by substi-tuting
and maintaining a local disease on some exter-nal
part of the body, whither the internal disease is
transferred by derivation. In this way, the local affec-tion
for a time arrests the internal evil,without, how-ever,
being able to cure it,or to lessen it essentially.
The fontanels of the old school have a similar effect,
in the form of artificial ulcers upon external parts;
they soothe internal chronic complaints, but without
curing them."
Nevertheless, the local malady is never anything
more than a part of the general disease,but it is a part
which has become excessively developed in one direc-tion
by the vital force,and transported to the surface
of the body where there is less danger, in order to les-sen
the internal morbid process. " 201, Organon.
The mental state and temperament of the patient
are often of most decisive importance in the homoeo-pathic
selection of a remedy, and should never escape
the accurate observation of the physician, as the state of
mind is always modified in so-called physical diseases.
Mental Diseases and their Treatment. Most of
them are in realitybodily diseases. Certain mental
and emotional symptoms are peculiar to every bodily
disease; these symptoms develop more or less rapidly,
and become predominant over all other symptoms, and
are finallytransferred,like a local disease,into the
88 A COMPEND OF THE
invisiblyfine organs of the mind, where, by their pres-ence,
they seem to obscure the bodily symptoms.In regard to the totalityof symptoms of a case of
this kind, all physical symptoms which prevailed beforethe disease assumed the mental form are very essential.
Comparison between these early symptoms and their
present indistinct remnants, which may occasionally
appear during lucid intervals or during transient ame-lioration
of the mental disease,will show the continu-ance
of the physical disease,although obscured. Study
"" 214-220, Organon.
Acute insanity, even though due to latent psora,
should not be treated with anti-psoricremedies at once,
but met with remedies like Aconite, Belladonna, etc.,
in highly attenuated doses. After such treatment,
anti-psoric remedies, with well regulated diet and
habits, will do the rest. In the treatment of insanity,the medicines may be given mixed with the patient's
usual drink, without his knowledge, thus obviating
every kind of compulsion. Study "" 221-231, Organon,in this connection.
Intermittent and alternating diseases are such as
return at certain periods,or where certain morbid con-ditions
alternate with each other. Such are mostly a
product of developed psora.
The symptoms which mark the condition of the
patient during the period of intermission should chieflybe taken as guides in selectingthe most strikinghomoe-opathic
remedy.
In intermittents,besides the importance of the apy-
rexia as offeringmost guiding symptoms for the selec-tion
of the remedy, the stage which is most prominent
and peculiar should next be considered. The best time
to administer the remedy is a short time after the ter-mination
of the paroxysm, when the patient has par-
90 A COMPEND OF THE
CHAPTER XL
POSOLOGY.
By posology {posos-how much) is meant the science
of dosage. By doses are meant the quantities of drugsthat are required to produce effects on the body whether
the body is in a state of disease or normal health. In
order to produce the direct effects of drugs, a definite
quantity within a certain range is requisite. This can
only be determined by experiment and experience, and
differs according to the age, temperament and state of
health of the subject. It is known as the physiological
dose. This use of drugs by means of a definite physio-logical
dosage has nothing to do with their homoeo-pathic
use.
Different Effects Between Large and Small Doses.
Homoeopathy discovered the fact that there is an oppo-sition
in effects between very large and small doses. A
teaspoonful of wine of Ipecac, causes sickness and
vomiting, while drop doses cure the same. Large
doses of Opium bind up the bowels, while a small dose
has the opposite effect. Large doses of Bryonia act as
a drastic,while small have a tendency to promote a
torpid state of the intestines. This physiological anta-gonism
between large and small doses of drugs is one
explanation made use of in regard to the homoeopathic
law.
Reasons for the difference in Dosage between
Drugs chosen Homoeopath ically and Antipathically.
The reason is found in the fact of the bodily resistance
which must be overcome by the drug before it can
manifest its action. Every living organism is in the
constant effort to keep itself intact " automatically and
Principles of Homceopathy. 91
unconsciously to the individual. This protecting
sphere of its distinctive life offers resistance to any-
foreign intruder,which bodily resistance to everything
that tends to disturb its health must be overcome first
of all before the drug can manifest its peculiar power.
The physiological dose of any drug, therefore, must
be large enough (1) to overcome the normal body re-sistance;
(2)sufficientlymore to produce symptoms.
Reasons Why the Homoeopathic Dose is Neces-sarily
Smaller. Because here no bodily resistance has
to be encountered, since a similar action is already
existing in certain organs and tissues,the disease hav-ing
overcome the resistance offered by the protective
sphere of the body, and thus the affected region is ex-posed
to attacks fiom without. The homoeopathic
remedy acts upon the very tracts involved, and since
the protecting gates are down, a much smaller dose is
required. Another reason is the fact that the affected
parts are probably rendered hypersensitive by the dis-ease
process. This is seen daily in every direction.
Take a healthy eye, and it receives the rays of light
and responds thereto; but let the same eye be inflamed,
and see how exquisitely sensitive it becomes to other-wise
natural stimuli. A third reason is that the
homoeopathic remedy is given singly,without admix-ture
with other drugs; and hence, its action is not
interfered with.
Aggravation follows sometimes even a Minute
Homoeopathic Dose. If so, it indicates that either the
dose selected is still too strong, and in that case other
symptoms will probably appear, or the remedy chosen
was perfectlyhomoeopathic to the case and the aggra-vation
would be but very temporary and would be in
itself the best possibleindication to do nothing further
hut icait.
92 A COMPEND OF THE
Should aggravation follow a certain dose,it is a good
rule to go higher in the scale of potency.
Historical Development of the Homceopathic
Dose. At first,Hahnemann prescribed the usual doses
(Ipecac, five grains, Nux four grains, Cinchona Bark
one to two drams), he soon found that aggravation
would follow such dosage, if they were chosen accord-ing
to the similar relationship to the diseased process.
This led him naturally enough to a reduction of
dosage, and as he obtained equally good or better re-sults,
he kept on decreasing the amount. Yet the
transition from the crude dosage to comparative infinit-esimal
quantities was quite sudden, within one year
from 1798 to 1799, he advocated both. For a quarter
of a century, Hahnemann gave his remedies in vary-ing
potencies,seldom as high as the thirtieth potency,*
more frequently between the first and twelfth potency,
sometimes descending to more material quantities.
But after he had incorporated the psora theory into
his doctrinal edifice,he fixed upon the thirtieth potency
as the uniform standard for the dose of all remedies.
This was to be given in globules saturated and subse-quently
dried. He desired uniformity among homoeo-
pathists, "and when they describe a cure, we can re-peat
it,as they and we operate with the same tools.
Thus our enemies will not be able to reproach us with
having no fixed normal standard." And at the same
time, he disapproved of attenuations beyond the
thirtieth in these words: "There must be some end to
the thing, it cannot go on to infinity."
Whatever the size of a dose of a homoeopathic
remedy, there is one point which must characterize it,
i. e., it must be sub-physiological,that is,just short of
producing symptoms.
* See chapter on the preparation of medicines.
Principles of Homceopathy. 93
Hahnemann's recommendation of the thirtieth po-tency
as the dose for all remedies and cases has not
been followed by the school,and rightly so, because it
is wholly arbitary and unphilosophical to adopt one
potency for all drugs. The physician must here, as in
the selection of the remedy, learn to individualize.
Repetition of Doses. Hahnemann's latest teach-ings
were to give but one dose, and await its full
action. There is much to be said in favor of this ad-vice
in the treatment of chronic diseases. No doubt
young physicians repeat their remedy too often and
change too frequently. Too frequent repetition of
doses frets the system and hinders the cure. The safest
general rules, based upon firm adherence to the law
and practiced by the closest prescribers are the fol-lowing:
1. Give one remedy at a time " the one most clearly
indicated by the totalityof symptoms.
2. Give it preferably at first in a medium potency
with a tendency to go higher.
3. So long as improvement shows itself,do not
change the remedy, and better also,do not repeat the
dose. Learn to wait, for so long as the disease does not
progress any further, after giving the medicine, there
is no danger in waiting, not until new indications
appear.
4. In acute diseases,the doses may have to be re-peated
frequently, according to the intensity and
severityof the case; as a rule every hour or two is
often enough, and in most acute, as often as every five
to ten minutes may be necessary, but all medication
should cease with commencing improvement.
The following golden rule is given by Hahnemann
in his Chronic Diseases,page 156:
94.
A COMPEND OF THE
" The whole cure fails if the anti-psoric remedies,
which have been prescribed for the patient, are not
permitted to act uninterruptedly to the end. Even if
the second anti-psoricshould have been selected with
the greatest care, it cannot replace the loss which the
rash haste of the physician has inflicted on the patient.
The benign action of the former remedy which was
about manifesting its most beautiful and most surpris-ing
results,is probably lost to the patient forever."
In Organon, "" 247-8, Hahnemann says: "These
periods are always to be determined by the more or less
acute course of the disease and by the nature of the
remedy employed. The dose of the same medicine is
to be repeated several times, if necessary, but only
until recovery ensues, or until the remedy ceases to pro-duce
improvement.^^ Consult, also, "" 249-252.
Also, in note to " 246, Hahnemann emphatically
teaches that the homoeopathic physician is to admin-ister
but one most minute dose at a time, and to allow
this dose to act and to terminate its action. And he
holds that the best dose is the smallest in one of the
high potencies (the thirtieth) for chronic as well as
acute diseases. But, in many forms of disease, a single
dose is insufficient;and " hence, it may undoubtedly
be found necessary to administer several doses of the
same medicine, for the purpose of altering,pathogenet-
ically,the vital force to such an extent, and to raise
its curative reaction to such a degree, as to enable it to
extinguish completely an entire portion of the original
disease."
In " 245, Hahnemann gives this general rule: "Per-ceptible
and continued progress of improvement, in an
acute or chronic disease, is a condition which, as long
as it lasts,invariably counter-indicates the repetition
of any medicine whatever, because the beneficial effect
which the medicine continues to exert is rapidly ap-
Principles of Homceopathy. 95
preaching its perfection. Under these circumstances,
every new dose of any medicine would disturb the pro-cess
of recovery."*
The period between the early dosage of Hahnemann
and this final designation of the thirtieth potency, as
the standard covered about twenty-five years. He
now entered upon an entirely new conception of drugs,
as embodied medicinal forces,which could be practi-cally
separated from their material particles and im-parted
by means of his peculiar pharmaceutical proce-dures
to inert substances " hence, the development of
The Theory of Dynamization. The process of suc-
cussion and trituration is now said to result,not only
in a thorough mechanical admixture, but in ''a real
spiritualizationof the dynamic property " a true, as-tonishing
unveiling and vivifying of the medicinal
spirit." And Hahnemann looked upon this process
as "among the greatest discoveries of the age."
Hahnemann distinguishes carefully between dilu-tions,
or attenuations, and homoeopathic dynamizations.
While the former are solutions, retaining less and less
of the distinctive physical properties,in the proportion
* "In dealing with so complex an organism as the human
body, it is not to be wondered at that such definite rules have not
been found invariably to hold good. When we consider the mani-fold
varieties of constitution, the different degrees of excitability,and the peculiar idiosyncrasies that are met with, it would appear
highly improbable that any absolute law of universal application
would be found to meet all contingencies. This is borne out by
the evidence furnished by the fact that the greatest diversity of
opinion nowadays prevails as to the question of the dose and its
repetition.. . .
The question remains, to a great extent, un-settled,
and the ideas of many, with regard to it,differ considerablyfrom those of the earlier homoeopathists. Observation and experi-ence,
however, will,without doubt, lead ultimately to more definite
lines of guidance." "Edmund Cappeb, M. D., Journal of British
Homceopathic Society,January, 1895.
96 A COMPEND OF THE
that they are mixed with the diluting vehicle,the lat-ter
he deems real potentiation of the medicinal force
inherent in drugs. This he clearly teaches in the pref-ace
to the fifth volume of his "Chronic Diseases," as
follows: "Homoeopathic dynamizations are processes
by which the medicinal properties,which are latent in
natural substances while in their crude state, become
aroused, and then become enabled to act in an almost
spiritualmanner on our life" i. e., on our sensible and
irritable fibre. This development of the properties of
crude, natural substances (dynamization) takes place,
as I have before taught, in the case of dry substances,
by means of trituration in a mortar; but, in the case
of fluid substances, by means of shaking or succession,
which is also a trituration. These preparations cannot
be simply designated as solutions, although every
preparation of this kind, in order that it may be raised
to a higher potency "i. e., in order that the medicinal
properties still latent within it may be yet farther
awakened and developed, must first undergo a further
attenuation, in order that the trituration or succussion
may enter still further into the very essence of the
medicinal substance, and may thus also liberate and
expose the more subtle part of the medicinal powers
that lie hidden more deeply,which could not be effected
by any amount of trituration and succussion of the
substances in their concentrated form."
Nevertheless, Hahnemann recognized the improba-bility
of any separation of matter and force; hence, in
a note to " 280, he calls attention to the truth " that a
substance divided into ever so many parts must still
contain in its smallest conceivable parts always some
of this substance, and that the smallest conceivable
part does not cease to be some of this substance and
cannot possibly become nothing."
Possibly the radiant state of matter, as described by
98 A COMPEND OF THE
ternal medicinalpower
is wonderfully developed and
is as it were liberated from its material bonds, so as to
enable it to operate more penetratingly andmore freely
upon the human organism. Secondly, because his purely
arithmetical mind believes that it sees here only anin-stance
ofenormous subdivision, a mere material divi-sion
and diminution, whereinevery part must be less
than the whole, as everychild knows; but he does not
observe, that in these spiritualizations of the internal
medicinalpower, the material receptacle of these
natural forces, the palpable ponderable matter, is not
to be taken into consideration at all; thirdly, because
the sceptic has no experience relative to the action of
preparations of such exalted medicalpower. (Hahne-mann
in Lesser Writings, p. 734.)
For fiirther study consult"
"A Complete Historical Review of Hahnemann's Posology,"
by T. L. Bradford, M.D., in his "Life of Hahnemann," Chapters
LXXXII-V.
Dudgeon's Lectures, Chapters XII-XVI, on Dynamization and
Homoeopathic Posology, in which the opinions of the olderrepre-sentative
Homceopathists are given.
J. M. Selfridge, M.D.: "Infinitesimals from a Scientific Stand-point,"
in Homcmpathic Physician, February, 1896.
Also, the chapter on Hahnemann's Philosophy, page 109.
Peinciples of Homceopathy. 99
CHAPTER XII.
THE PREPARATION OF HOMCEOPATHIC
MEDICINES.
Pharmacy is the art of preparing drugs for use, and
dispensing them as medicines. The method of prepar-ing
medicines for homoeopathic use differs in many
essential details from that of the old school.
Pharmacopceia. This is an authoritative list of drugs
and their preparations recognized and used by the pro-fession,
and which have thus become oflScinal. At
present we have in homoeopathy three pharmacopoeias:
the British,the German and the American, not differ-
ering greatly. The American Institute of Homoeopa-thy
has a committee at work on a new and authorita-tive
work, which will be published shortly, and will
unquestionably be the future authority in the homoeo-pathic
school.
Medicines. The medicines used in homoeopathic
practice,and included in its pharmacopoeia, are taken
from all the kingdoms of nature, and include most of
the drugs used by the old school and many others not
recognized and known there as possessing any medici-nal
virtues. The pharmaceutical processes of homoe-opathy
are characterized by a marvelous simplicity
and perfection requiring the greatest nicety and care,
so that the designation homoeopathic has actually come
to mean a specialdegree of fineness of quality.
Essential Conditions for Preparing Homoeopathic
Medicines. Accuracy is the basis of every procedure.
Make up your mind beforehand to do everything right
or not at all.
100 A COMPEND OF THE
Cleanliness. Be exquisitely clean and have vials,corks and everything necessary of the finest quality.Under no condition use the same vial or cork for two
different preparations, or potencies,even of the same
drug. No amount of cleansing will make them fit for
different homoeopathic preparations. Absolute cleanli-ness
of utensils and instruments and person is essential.
Conscientious care in selecting,handling and storing
drugs. Keep them from contact with each other; pro-tect
them from vapors, odors, dust; store them in cool,
dry, airy,darkened, pure place.
Drugs for homoeopathic use are taken from the
three kingdoms of nature; they are either in a liquid
state or dry, soluble or insoluble. In order to convert
these drugs into homoeopathic medicines, which shall
contain all the medicinal powers inherent in the crude
substances, and in such a state as will secure their
ready and complete assimilation by the organism, three
differentprocesses are made use of,trituration,solution,
and attenuation, and three vehicles or menstrua are
employed for that purpose " sugar of milk, water, and
alcohol.
The Menstrua Used in Homoeopathic Pharmacy.
Sugar of milk (Saccharum lactis or Lactose). A
product of animal life,one of the constituents of milk,
obtained by evaporating the whey of the milk. It is
of pure white color,faintly sweet taste, should be odor-less
and non-hygroscopic. For homoeopathic use, ought
to be re-crystallized,as the ordinary product of the
shops is not always perfectlypure. It must be kept in
a dry place, as it becomes musty when exposed to
dampness. The marvelous sagacity of Hahnemann is
seen in his selection of sugar of milk for the process of
trituratingmineral drugs. No other known substance
could equal the sharp, flinty crystals,in grinding to
Principles of Homceopathy. 101
an inconceivably fine powder hard mineral substances,
so that they can be rendered absorbable by the body.
Its preservativeproperties are very great, keeping the
minutest particlesof triturated metals untarnished by
oxidation indefinitely..
It is easily made into tablets,
which, in their pores, can be made to absorb medicinal,
alcoholic solutions.
Alcohol is the most important menstruum used
in homoeopathic pharmacy; it is seldom pure unless
redistilled. Alcohol is formed whenever sugar comes
in contact with a fermentable matter in water at a
suitable temperature. It may be made from a great
number of vegetable substances, that from rye or
wheat being the best. Pure Alcohol is a colorless fluid
which must not lather when rubbed in the hands and
have no disagreeable odor. Strong Alcohol contains
about 94 per cent by volume of Ethyl Alcohol. It is
used principally in the preparation of tinctures or cer-tain
solutions.
Officinal or Dispensing Alcohol is used for making
the attenuations and is best adapted for medicating
pellets. It contains 88 per cent by volume of Ethyl
Alcohol.
Alcohol should be kept in well stoppered bottles and
in a cool place.
Distilled Water (Aqua distillata).Common water
is always impure for medicinal preparations, being
charged with gases, earthly matters, etc. Hence dis-tilled
water is essential. The still used should be used
for no other purpose whatever. The crucial test of the
purity of distilled water is its ability to keep. If it
has any kind of odor, or becomes turbid it is unfit for
homoeopathic preparations. It should be kept in glass-
stoppered bottles and only in small quantities as it is
102 A COMl'END OF THE
very liable to deterioration from the entrance of inor-ganic
dust and microbes.
Distilled Water is used as a solvent for many chemi-cal
substances; for making solutions of acids, and also
converting triturations into liquid attenuations, as is
done with all minerals, chemical salts and all other
drugs first prepared by triturating them, after the third
centesimal poteney.
The Unit of Medicinal Strengtli. The dnj, crude
drug, is the unit of medicinal strength, or drug power.
It is the starting point from whence to calculate the
strength of every preparation,be it tincture, solution or
trituration. In making triturations or solutions of
chemical substances, the matter is very simple, the first
potency being the yV or yJo of the crude drug accord-ing
to the decimal or centesimal scale. In the case of
tinctures, the dry drug also is the unit of drug power,
but as this is soluble in varying proportions in differ-ent
plants, the drug-power of the tinctures varies ac-cordingly.
Preparations of Drugs.
General rule. All substances soluble in either Alco-hol
or water, are properly made into solutions or tinc-tures;
all insoluble or only partiallysoluble substances
should first be made into triturations only.
Aqueous Solutions are made from such chemicals as
are soluble in water. Hygroscopic substances, such as
some of the potash and soda preparations ought to be
so prepared in the lower potencies in preference to
trituratingthem. The solutions are made in the pro-portion
of one in ten, one in one hundred and one in
one thousand, depending upon the degree of the solu-bility
of the substance. Such solutions are as a rule
unstable and do not keep for any length of time, and
Principles of Homoeopathy. 103
ought, therefore,be renewed whenever required. The
solution must be clear, free from sediment and cloudi-ness.
Tinctures. Homoeopathic tinctures are made from
plants and other substances wholly or partiallysoluble
in Alcohol. They are, therefore, alcoholic solutions of
solids or semi-solids. The chief source of homoeopathic
tinctures is the fresh plant, but parts of plants, barks,
roots, seeds, gums, balsams, etc.,are also used. Mine-rals
and chemicals soluble in alcohol also give tinc-tures.
When made from plants,it is essential to obtain
the fresh flowering plant, whenever possible,the dried
article always being inferior,often inert. For this rea-son,
homoeopathic tinctures must be imported from the
country, where the plants, grow and in no case will it
answer to substitute a tincture made from the dried plant,
or worse still,from a fluid extract. It is very important
that tinctures should be of uniform strength,and as
the watery, proportion varies greatly according to sea-son
and other conditions, the dried, crude drug is
taken as the starting point from whence to calculate
the strength of the tincture. This is readily ascertained
by taking a suitable quantity of the fresh plant and
weighing it,then drying it by gentleheat until there is
no further loss of weight. The difference of weight will
indicate the amount of water contained in the plant
for which allowance is to be made in the use of the
menstrua. But remember, that while the dry, crude
material after evaporation is taken as a unit of strength,
the fresh green plant is to he used in the preparation of
the tincture.
The tincture represents one part of this dry, crude
material in each ten parts of the completed solution,
i. e.j Ix would represent its drug power. This is the
method prescribed by the British and American Insti-
]04 A COMPEND OF THE
tute pharmacopoeias, and leads to accurate and scien-tific
results. At present, however, many tinctures are
not made so and the mother tincture represents vary-ing
degrees of drug power, which ought to be known
in each instance, in order to make an exact Ix attenua-tion.
Dilutions or Liquid Attenuations. Hahnemann
introduced and adopted as the standard, a progressive
scale of diluting drugs in the proportion of 1 to 99
known as the
Centesimal Scale. Under this rule each attenuation
contains just ^Iq part as much of the drug substance
as the preceding attenuation. The potencies so pre-pared
are marked 1,2, 3,4, etc.,according to the potency
represented. The first,1, containing 1,35^ part of the
crude drug, the second, marked 2, the-,Jo part of the
firstJ
or 10000"o^ the orginal drug; the third,marked 3,
the iJo of the second, or the1 ooooott
o^ the original,
etc. Later, in order to secure intermediate grades of
strength and better communication of the particles,
Hering introduced the
Decimal Scale, the proportion of 1 to 9 by which
each successive dilution contains just ^'5 as much of
the drug substance as the preceding one.
Decimal preparations are designated such by an x;
thus the first decimal is marked Ix, and contains j^o
part of the originaldrug substance; the second decimal
is marked 2x, and contains the^-o part of the first dec-imal,
or,00
of the original drug-substance. Thus it
will be seen that the first centesimal is equal to the 2x;
the 2nd centesimal, marked 2, is equal to the 4th deci-mal;
the 3d centesimal to the 6x, etc.,etc.
Triturations. A trituration is a preparation of a
drug introduced by Hahnemann, by which the finely-
lOG A COMPEND OF THE
to one of these three parts of sugar of milk in a mortar,
mix well with a spatula, and then grind for six min-utes
with a moderate degree of force. The triturate is
then to be scraped together for four minutes. Another
third of sugar of milk is then added and treated ex-actly
like the first third, and finally the last third is
added and proceeded with in the same manner. This
results in the first centesimal trituration (containing
1^0 of the original drug). The second centesimal is
made by taking one grain of the first and b}^proceed-ing
with it in the manner described above. The third
centesimal is made in the same manner from the second.
B)^ adopting the decimal scale, a better preparationis ensured, since every centesimal trituration gets
double the time of grinding, and this scale is therefore
universally adopted.
All mineral preparations, most chemical salts,ani-mal
substances, and certain vegetable drugs and alka-loids,
are thus prepared for purposes of homoeopathy
by first triturating them up to the sixth decimal or
third centesimal potency. Each separate potency is
triturated at least one hour, so the sixth has had no
less than six hours constant triturating;but, as most
triturations are now made by machinery, the time
given to each is usually greatly extended. One hour,
however, was Hahnemann's rule. Although many
medicines have been carried up to the twelfth, and
even the thirtieth potency, by trituration there is no
need or advantage in doing so beyond the sixth deci-mal,
since Hahnemann proved conclusively,and clin-ical
experience fully verified the fact,that beyond that
potency all medicines yield up their medicinal virtues
to water and alcohol, and can thus be prepared in a
liquid state.
To Convert Triturations into Liquid Potencies.
Hahnemann discovered the fact that any insoluble sub-
Principles of Homceopathy. 107
stance when triturated to the third centesimal or sixth
decimal trituration,becomes so finelysubdivided that
its particles are held in suspension in the diluting
menstruum, alcohol or water in other words are prac-tically
dissolved. In this way, all homoeopathic medi-cines
made from minerals and other insoluble substan-ces
are nevertheless converted into liquid preparations
retaining all the medicinal virtues of the drug. The
process is thus described by Hahnemann and adopted
by the homoeopathic profession:
"Sugar of Milk cannot be dissolved in pure Alcohol;
this is the reason why the first dilution should be com-posed
of one-half water and one-half alcohol, To one
grain of the (loooooo) third centesimal trituration,you
add fiftydrops of distilled water and turn the vial
several times around its axis. By this means the
Sugar of Milk becomes dissolved. Then you add fifty
drops of Alcohol, and shake the vial. Only two-thirds
of the vial ought to be filled with the solution." The
vial is then marked with the name of the remedy and
a figure 4, indicating the fourth centesimal potency.
This preparation, containing one-half water cannot be
used for saturating pellets as it would dissolve them.
From this fourth the subsequent attenuations are made
in the usual manner with pure alcohol. *
* One of the real dangers to Homoeopathy consists in the lack
of attention to the exact preparation of homoeopathic medicines,
and in substituting old school pharmaceutical methods for the
preciseand accurate instructions of Hahnemann. Dr. J. Hayward
calls attention to this subject in a presidentialaddress delivered in
Liverpool last year. He says:" It is much to be feared, in view
of the great competition and endeavor to undersell each other
amongst the present-day homoeopathic pharmacists, and with the
low-priced tinctures, that many of the preparations are anything
but those of genuine and pure drugs. This may be part of the
cause of much of the disappointment we sometimes experience in
practice. This risk is increased by the fact that many of our
108 A COMPEND OF THE
Pellets,Disks, Cones, etc.,are forms of vehicles for
prescriptions. They are made of sugar and are simply
saturated with the liquid attenuation. They are a con-venient
form of administering remedies.
Tablets are a compressed form of the trituration it-self,
of recent introduction. They come in one and
two grain sizes, and are, therefore,very convenient
when a definite size of dose is desired.
For further study consult the forthcoming Pharmacopoeia of
the American Institute of Homoeopathy.
Also, "Three Lectures on Homoeopathic Pharmaceutics, " by
the veteran pharmacist, Dr. F. E. Boericke.
drugs are procured from ordinary wholesale drug-stores, where
they are not prepared with the care necessary for homoeopathic
medicines. It is very desirable that our own pharmacists should
themselves collect and procure the medicines and make the prepa-rations.
If they will not, then practitioners should procure and
prepare, at least, some of them for themselves." " (From a general
Purvey of our position in The Journal of the British Homwopathic
Society,Januarj', 1896.)
Principles of Homceopathy. 109
CHAPTER XIII.
HAHNEMANN'S PHILOSOPHY.
Hahnemann was a vitalist. His philosophical con-ceptions
are a protest against materialism; against all
merely chemico-physiological ideas, all pathological,
bacterial,antitoxic theories, discoveries and facts as a
basis for Therapeutics. He proves that a true science
of therapeutics cannot be built on any such insecure
foundations, and the whole history of medicine justifies
the position. Again, his teachings in regard to disease
and their cure by homoeopathic remedies require a
practicalacceptance of the existence of a vital princi-ple
animating the body, and at the same time a simi-lar
vital principle or force embodied in every medic-inal
substance. It necessitates therefore,a substantial
world of causes, the world of mind where thought and
affection,desire and lusts in their innumerable mani-festations
exist and a material world of effects,where
these ultimate themselves in corresponding forms, and
thus become fixed and enduring. Hahnemann saw in
the body but an organism made up of material parti-cles
in themselves dead, but vivified and embodied and
adapted to the real,living man, the spiritwithin. The
connection between the immaterial, spiritualand im-mortal
being, and the body is supposed by him to be
effected by means of the vital force which he designates
Dynamis. We have then, in Hahnemannian physio-logy,
(1) the spirit,the true man, (2) the material
body, receiving its life and health through (3)the vivi-fying
vital force, the dynamis. From this conception
follows the pathological deduction that the disturbance
of the harmonious play of life,manifesting itself in
symptoms affectingthe functions and sensations which
110 A COMPEND OF THE
we call disease,is a disturbance of this same vital force
or dynamis. This Dynamis differs from the material
body in being of a more subtle quality and Hahne-mann
defines it,in contradiction of the material gross-
ness of the body as'' spirit-like."The vital force is
active throughout the body, is the immediate cause of
every functional activity,of all bodily growth. It is
the formative force of the organism, is in fact the inner
form which controls the molecular, chemical and me-chanical
processes, and uses them for its own purposes.
Immaterial, hence beyond the penetration of the keen-est
sense or most powerful microscope, or the X ray.
The vital force is the intermediate agent between the
spiritand the body, enabling the spirit to dwell for a
time in its material bodily clothing. Hahnemann's
dynamis or vital force is not, therefore,the very seat of
life, but only the connecting medium between the
rational spirit,the true living man and the outer
material covering by which man takes cognizance of this
material world and its plane of external life. It is not
necessary to suppose this vital force to be an organized
entity,but rather the first ultimation on the plane of
matter by means of the finest degrees of that plane, of
the moulding, organizing and maintaining activityof
the spirit within. If you choose to call it molecular
motion, well and good, it is molecular motion guided
for a definite end in view.
In disease, the vital principle is first disturbed, and
its disturbance precedes functional and organic changes.
Hence, disease is of dynamic origin, and the true causes
of disease are such as affect the vital force; dynamic
agents, mental conditions, passions, moral deteriora-tions
in the individual or in the race. So-called causes
of disease can act only as secondary causes when the
vital force has become weakened in its resistance and
allows untoward influences to affect the organism.
Principles of Homceopathy. Ill
The following paragraphs in the Organon clearlyteach
this: 9, 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 29.
"During health, the immaterial vital principlewhich
animates the material body, rules absolutely. By it
all its parts are maintained in admirable, harmonious
vital operation, as regards both sensations and func-tions;
so that our indwelling, rational spiritcan freely
employ this living,healthy instrument for the higher
purposes of our existence."
" The material organism, without the vital force,is
incapable of sensation, function or self-preservation;
it is dead and subject only to the physical laws of the
external world; it decays, and is again resolved into
its chemical constituents; it is the immaterial, vital
principle only, animating the material organism in
health and disease,that imparts to it all sensation and
enables it to perform its functions."
"In disease,it is only this immaterial, automatic
vital force, pervading the entire organism, that is pri-marily
deranged by the dynamic influence upon it of
a morbific agent inimical to life. Only the vital prin-ciple,
thus deranged, can furnish the organism its ab-normal
sensations and set up the irregular processes
we call disease; for, as a power invisible in itself and
only known by its effects on the organism, its morbid
derangement only makes itself known by the manifes-tations
of disease in the sensations and functions of
those parts of the organism exposed to the senses of
the observer and physician " that is,by morbid symp-toms,
and in no other way can it make itself known.
"How the vital force causes the organism to display
morbid phenomena "that is,how it produces disease,"
it would be of no practical utilityto know, and, there-fore,
it will for ever remain concealed from the physi-cian."
112 A COMPEND OF THE
In the preface to the second volume of the " Materia
Medica Pura," Hahnemann says: "Life is in no re-spect
governed by any physical law which govern only
inorganic substances. The material substances com-prising
the human organism are not governed in their
living composition, by the same laws to which inor-ganic
substances are subjected,but follow laws pecu-liar
to their vitality; they themselves are animated
and vivified,just as the whole organism is animated
and vivified. * * * * As the organism, in its nor-mal
condition,depends only on the state of the vitality,
it follows that the changed condition which we call dis-ease
or sickness must likewise depend, not on the oper-ation
of physical or chemical principles,but on orig-inally
vital sensations and actions" that is to say, a
dynamically changed state of man" a changed exist-ence,
through which, eventually, the constituent parts
of the body becomes altered in their character, as is
rendered necessary in each individual case through the
changed condition of the living organism."
Need of the Dynamized Remedy to Aifect Changes
in the Disturbed Yital Force. Now the next step
was almost inevitable. If disease is but a disturbed
condition of the vital force,and this far removed from
the grossness of matter, so fine as to be almost spirit-like,
surely crude drugs cannot possibly affect it cura-
tively,and hence the need for purposes affecting this
disturbed dynamis of the dynamized drug of the poten-
tized remedy, one from which all crude, grossly ma-terial
parts have been eliminated. * Such a prepara-
* The following quotation from Paracelsus is interesting in
this connection, and may possibly serve as a clue to explain the ac-tion
of the attenuated homoeopathic medicines.
" Matter is connected with spiritby an intermediate principle
"which it receives from the spirit. This intermediate link between
114 A COMPEND OF THE
The same thought is expressed in the following ex-tract
of a lecture on the Evolution of Medicine byProf. Thos. J. Gray, M. D., of Minneapolis.
" We say that Opium is obtained from the Papaver
Somniferum, Pulsatilla from the Anemone, Belladonna
from the Atropa Belladonna, and so following. Just
what do we mean in these statements? What is Opium
or Pulsatilla or Belladonna? These plants named
will grow and come to perfection in the same square
foot of earth, in the same season, under the same con-ditions
of air, light,soil,heat and moisture, yet each
retains its identity; there is no transfer of individual-ity,
each remains itself. Each has transmuted the
common environment into himself, without any confu-sion
or mistake. Upon closer examination, not alone
do we find a common environment, but the microscopereveals an essential identity in structure. The proto-plasmic
vegetable cell is,so far as we can see, the same
in them all,nay more, though our subtlest methods of
chemical analysis must be confessed as crude ap-proaches
to the inner sanctuary of nature's secrets,
since in the very nature of the case we cannot know
the essential changes produced upon the original sub-stances
by our solutions and calexes,and so must fur-nish
from the imagination long links of connecting
conditions,yet they all point to an essential unity of
chemical composition as well. If we reason on the
plane of our experiments and observations, we are
obliged to assume that the slight differences in struc-ture
and composition that seem to be present, are suffi-cient
to account for one of the most stupendous facts
in the natural world, a clear case of laying too heavy
a burden on the major premise of the syllogism. But
still more, when we contemplate the hidden processes
by which the various vegetable cells unerringly appro-priate
and assimilate the common air,water and soil,
Principles of Homceopathy. 115
in certain fixed proportions, do we see the force of this
fact. Is it not a mere figure of speech to call the form
in space of green and other colors,which appears to
the eye, or whose reality may be attested by the bal-ance,
that space-fillingand time-perduring thing, the
plant, rather is it not a body for the real plant, the
real thing, the thing that has caused what we can see
and feel ? This real poppy, this real anemone, or
deadly night-shade, evidently is neither red or black,
neither short or long, neither heavy or light, neither
penetrable or impenetrable " in short, it has not nor can
have attributed to it any of the forms or qualitiesof bodies
whatsoever. Hence, it cannot be measured or weighed,
nor can the terms much or little be applied to it. The
poppy is as truly in one seed as in a thousand. It is a
dynamic energy, a force and not matter at all,unless we
make the confusion of assuming matter and force to be
one and the same thing. And so of every drug, each is
an active dynamic self. We acknowledge this truth in
the phrase,'theactive principleof this or that substance.'
And so it comes about that what we really adminis-ter
is a principle,a force; a thing of which absolutely
no attributes of matter can be predicated."
The keynote to Homoeopathy is the Hahnemannian
teaching of the Dynamis or vital force. Homcjeopathy
eliminates material causes of most diseases,material
dosage of medicines and looks to the real cause of all
disease in the disturbed vital force and selects a cura-tive
remedy corresponding to all the symptoms expres-sing
the disturbance and administers it in a dynamized
form, one in which the drug is free to all outward ap-pearance
of its proper material envelope. This view of
disease does not countenance therefore, a removal of
the products of a disease as a cure of the disease itself,
any more than blowing and cleaning of the nose is a
cure for coryza. Hence the mere excision of tumors is
116 A COMPEND OF THE
no permanent cure of the tumor disease. We must go
back of the local manifestation and cure the condition
which produced the tumor. Local astringent injections
do not cure a leucorrhoea, although the discharge is
made to disappear; cauterizing a chancre will not cure
the syphiliticcause of that outward manifestation of a
general infection; a Sulphur or Zinc ointment applied
to a skin disease, or a corrosive sublimate wash does
not cure, although the skin itself may be freed. These
measures merely suppress the local and ultimate mani-festation
of the disease. Metastases (change in the seat
of disease),are sure to appear sooner or later and inva-riably
more serious than the primary disorder. To be
sure, the physician pronounces these new diseases, and
the patient submits to further suppression and pallia-tion,
but a cure is further off than ever. Bear in mind
that it is a fallacy to believe that disease can be cured
by the expulsion of material morbific matters " they
cannot be so permanently cured, though of course, the
immediate symptoms of discomfort of the patient may
be thereby removed. The physician's duty therefore,
is more than to be a medical scavenger, expelling sup-posed
or real morbific matter. There is no question
that the loathsome, vile or impure discharges in disea-ses
are effete products of the disease itself,symptomsof the dynamic disturbance within and as such guides
to the selection of the remedy not to be carelesslysup-pressed,
for frequently they are a relief of the inner
more dangerous evil. By suppressing these outer
manifestations, curative efforts of nature, possibly,metastases towards other and more vital parts are
likely to take place.
For further study consult Chapter X, " Dynamization;" also,
Chapter X on" Hahnemann's Doctrine of Chronic Diseases."
"The Genius of the Homoeopathic Healing Art;" preface to the
second volume of the Materia Medica Pura by Hahnemann.
Teste's Materia Medica; introductory chapter.
Principles of Homceopathy. 117
APPENDIX.
A CATECHISM ON SAMUEL HAHNEMANN'S
ORGANON.
A plain laborer went once to church to hear a cele-brated
preacher, whose eloquence was known near and
far. After the service a parishioner asked that man
how he enjoyed the sermon, and the poor man replied
that it must have been a great sermon, but he failed to
understand it. Years ago I gave to one of my students
the Organon in vernacular and in the original to read,
and bye and bye he came back and in sorrow ex-claimed:
"Why could that great man not write in
such a language that a plain fellow, like me, can know
what he meant?" Commentators tried over and over
to explain every sentence (none better than Kent), and
still the very necessity of commentators prove the
necessity of abbreviating this great work, to give to the
student the kernel in as few words as possible. If this
is a sacrilegeto the name of the father of homoeopathy,
may the good Lord pardon my sin.
* Some years ago, when the author edited the CaliforniaHomos-
opath, the late Professor Samuel Lilienthal contributed to the jour-nal
a series of articles embodying the gist of Hahnemann's "Orga-non"
and of his "Chronic Diseases" in simple language and
especiallywritten for the student. They were greatly appreciated
at the time and repeated requests for their republication have been
made. In compliance thereto and especially, as Professor Lilien-
thal's presentation is wholly in harmony with the purpose of this
compend, the author believes that he will render a service to his
readers and students generally,by enriching his pages with them.
118 A COMPEND OF THE
1. The physician's highest and only callingis to re-store
health to the sick,which is called healing.2. Healing ought to be accomplished in the most
speedy, most gentle,and most reliable manner.
3. To do this he must know the ailment of the
patient, select the remedy, the dose and its repetition
according to each individual case.
4. Sanitation and hygiene are studies in which
every physician must be well versed.
5. Constitution of the patient,his mind and temp-erament,
occupation, mode of living and habits,social
and domestic relations, age and sexual functions,etc.
Give us the individualityof the patient.6. Deviations from the normal state show them-selves
by morbid signs or symptoms.
7. The totalityof these symptoms, this outwardly
reflectedimage of the inner nature of the diseased state,
i. e., of the sufferingdynamic, or livingforce, is the
principal and only condition to be recognized in order
that they may be removed and health restored.
8. Life, a dynamic principle,animates the material
body, and this material body passes away as soon as it
is bereft of this life-force. In health, harmonious vital
processes go on in our mind and body, and in sickness
this life-force becomes deranged by the dynamic influ-ence
of some morbific agency inimical to life,hence
abnormal functional activity,manifesting itself bymorbid sensations and functions, by morbid symptoms.
9. This morbidly changed life-force can only be re-stored
to its normal state by a similarly acting dyna-mical
power of the appropriate remedy, acting upon
the omnipresent susceptibilityof the nerves of the
organism. The total removal of all symptoms is health
restored, and therefore the totality of symptoms ob-served
in each individual case can be the only indica-tion
to guide us in the selection of a remedy.
Principles of Homceopathy. 119
10. These aberrations from the state of health can
only be removed by the curative power inherent in
medicine to turn the sensorial condition of the body
again into its normal state.
11. Experiments on animals, vivisection and au-topsy
can never reveal the inherent power of medicine;
the healthy human body alone is the fit subject for
such experiments, where they excite numerous definite
morbid symptoms, and it follows that, if drugs act as
curative remedies, they exercise this curative power
only by virtue of altering bodily failings through the
production of peculiar symptoms, which then they are
able to remove from the sick; in other words, the rem-edy
must be able to produce an artificial morbid condi-tion
similar to that of the natural disease.
12. Experience teaches that all drugs will unex-
ceptionally cure diseases the symptoms of which are as
similar as possible to those of the drugs, and leave
none uncured.
13. Natural diseases are removed by proper medi-cines,
because the normal state is more readily affected
by the right dose of a drug than by natural morbific
agencies.
14. Psychical and partly physical terrestial poten-cies
show their greatest power where this life-poweris
below par, hence they do not affect everybody nor do
they do so at all times; we may therefore assert that
extraneous noxious agencies possess only a subordinate
and conditional power, while drug-potencies possess an
absolute, unconditional power.
15. Drug-disease is substituted for the natural dis-ease,
when the drug causes symptoms most similar to
that which is to be cured, and it is hardly possible to
perform a cure by means of drugs incapable of pro-ducing
in the organism a diseased condition similar to
that which is to be cured.
120 A COMPEND OF THE
16. Palliation of prominent symptoms ought to be
discarded, for it provides only in part for a single
symptom; it may bring partial relief,but this is soon
followed by a perceptible aggravation of the entire
disease.
17. Primary and after or counter effect of drugs.
During the primary effect of a drug the vital force re-ceives
the impression made upon it by the drug and
allows the state of health to be altered by it. The
vital force then rallies and either calls forth the exact
opposite state of feelingor it neutralizes the impression
made upon it by the drug, thereby establishing the
normal state of health. The former a counter effect,
the latter a curative effect.
18. Diseases peculiar to mankind are of two classes:
(1). Rapid, morbid processes caused by abnormal
states and derangements of the vital force,acute dis-eases.
(2). Chronic diseases..Originating by infection
with a chronic miasm, acting deleteriouslyupon the
living organism and undermining health to such a
degree that the vital force can only make imperfect
and ineffectual resistance,which may result in the
final destruction of the organism.
19. Acute diseases may be sporadic, endemic or
epidemic.
20. Allopathy is to blame for many an incurable
ailment; the organism becomes gradually and abnor-mally
deranged, according to the individual character
of the dru":.
21. True chronic diseases arise mostly from Syphilis,
Sycosis and Psora. The latter is often the fundamental
cause and source of countless forms of diseases,figur-ing
as peculiar and definite diseases in our text-books
on pathology.
22. Individualization in the investigationof a case of
disease demands unbiased judgment, sound senses, at-
122 A GOMPEND OF THE
In all epidemics the physician may only be able to
collect the full picture of the disease after the investi-gation
of several cases. Only thus he arrives at the
characteristic peculiarities of the epidemic, which
affects all patients alike,because each case arises from
the same source, and then we are enabled to discover
the appropriate homoeopathic remedy for that prevail-ing
epidemic.
27. When all the prominent and characteristic
symptoms of the case have been committed to writing,the most difficult part has been accomplished, and we
must now seek out the corresponding drug which in
its effects on healthy persons produces symptoms strik-ingly
similar to those of the disease. Upon subsequent
inquiry concerning the effects of the remedy and the
changes of feelingsit has produced in the patient, and
after having made a new record of the case, the physi-cian
only omits from his diary the symptoms Avhich
were improved, and notes down what remains, or what
has subsequently appeared in the form of new symp-toms.
28. The entire range of disease-producing power of
each drug must be known, that is,all morbid symp-toms
and changes of the state of health which each
drug is capable of producing by itself in healthypersons,in order to discover what elements of disease each is
able to produce and inclined to excite by itself in the
condition of mind and body. Thus, the disease-pro-ducing
power of drugs can be made available homoeo-
pathically in the case of all diseases.
29. Experiments made with moderate doses of drugs
(except narcotics, which destroy sensibilityand sensa-tion),
upon healthy persons, exhibit only primary
effects,i.e.,those symptoms by means of which a drug
affects or deranges the healthy state and produces in
the organism a morbid condition of variable duration.
Principles of Homoeopathy. 123
30. Some symptoms are produced by drugs in many
healthypersons who try them; others are produced in only
a few; others again are extremely rare, showing them-selves
only in peculiar constitutions, which, though
otherwise healthy, are inclined to be more or less mor-bidly
affected by certain things which appear to make
no impression and to produce no change in many other
persons.
31. Each drug manifests particular effects in the
human body, and no other drug will produce effects of
exactly the same kind. Medicines must therefore be
differentiated from each other with scrupulous accu-racy,
and proved by pure and careful experiments with
regard to their power and true effects upon the healthy
body. In proving drugs it should be remembered that
strong, so called heroic substances, even in small doses,
have the property of affectingchanges in the health,
even of robust persons. Those of milder power should
be given in considerable doses in these experiments;
and those of least activity,in order to cause their effect
to become perceptible, should be tried only upon
healthy, but sensitive and susceptible persons. Let us
be very careful in regard to the reliabilityof the drugs
used in the provings; they must be pure, genuine, and
of full strength.
32. Every medicinal substance should be employed
entirely alone, in a perfectly pure state, without the
admixture of any other substance, and the prover
should not take any other medicinal substance on the
same day, or for so many days as the observation of
the effects of the drug requires.
33. During the proving, the diet should be moder-ate,
but nutritious; avoid all green vegetables, roots,
all kinds of salad and pot-herbs, as they retain medi-cinal
properties,even if most carefullyprepared; avoid
mental and bodily exertions,particularly disturbances
124 A COMPEND OF THE
resulting from the excitement of sexual excesses.
Provers ought to possess the requisite degree of intelli-gence
to enable them to define, or to prescribe their
sensations in distinct expressions.
34. Crude medicinal substances, if taken by the
prover for the purpose of ascertaining their peculiar
effects,will not disclose the same wealth of latent
powers as when, they are taken in a highly attenuated
state, potentiated by means of trituration and succus-
sion. Thus the medicinal powers, even of substances
hitherto considered as inert, are most effectuallyde-veloped
by administering to the prover daily from
four to six of the finest pelletsof the thirtieth potency;
the pellets,having been previously moistened with a
little water, should be taken on an empty stomach for
several days.
35. Drugs must be proved by both sexes, in order
to get their full effects.
36. All persons differ in their susceptibilityto drug
influence. Each prover should begin with a small
dose of medicine, gradually to be increased day by day
where such a course appears proper and desirable.
37. By giving a sufficientlystrong dose in the be-ginning
of a proving, we get the exact, consecutive
order in which the symptoms appear, and the prover
can note the time at which each one appeared. Thus,
we find out the genius of the drug. A moderate dose
frequently suffices,when the prover is sensitive and
pays proper attention to the state of his feelings. The
duration of the effect of a drug is determined only after
comparison of a number of provings.
38. When increased doses are taken several days
in succession, we discover the various morbid condi-tions
which this drug produces in general,but we will
not learn the consecutive order of their appearance,
and besides, a second dose, by its curative effect,will
Principles of Homceopathy. 125
often remove some of the symptoms resulting from the
previous dose; or a second dose may produce the oppo-site
condition from that of the first,an alternating
effect of the drug.
39. An increased dose for several successive days
shows the symptoms better,but not the consecutive
order, nor the duration of the drug effect. During the
proving the prover should study out whether any symp-tom
is changed by taking different position,when ame-liorated
or aggravated, and at what time of day or night
each symptom usually appears.
40. Several provings are necessary by the same
prover to get from him as many symptoms as possible,but to get at the totalityof symptoms which a drug is
liable to produce, the provings of many persons are
necessary; the smaller the dose of the drug, the more
distinctlythe primary effects will appear, while exces-sive
doses cause the result to be disturbed by the ap-pearance
of various after-effects,because the primaryeffects become confused by the violence and haste of
the action of the dose.
41. Symptoms similar to the drug the prover has
sometimes felt before the proving was commenced, but
when they appear again during the proving, it shows
that he is susceptibleto the action of the drug.42. Every prover must be directed to distinctly
write down every sensation and change of feeling,the
time of its appearance, its duration, and then the
director of the proving compares the different manu-scripts
of records. Thus, we accumulate a collection
of genuine, pure, and undeceptive effects of simple
drugs. Such records contain and represent in simili-tude
the elements of numerous natural diseases here-after
to be cured by these means. A materia medica
of that kind should exclude every supposition,everymere assertion or fiction.
126 A COMPEND OF THE
43. A drug fully tested with regard to its power of
altering human health, and whose symptoms present
the greatest degree of similitude with the totality of
symptoms of a given natural disease,will be the most
suitable and reliable homoeopathic remedy for that
disease,its specificcurative- agent.
44. A medicine possessing the power to produce an
artificial disease most similar to the natural disease to
be cured, exerts its dynamic influence upon the mor-bidly
disturbed vital force,and in the right dose will
affect those parts of the organism where the natural dis-ease
is located,and will excite in them an artificial
disease.
45. A well-selected homoeopathic drug will remove
a natural acute disease of recent origin,even if severe
and painful; an older affection will disappear in a
few days, and recovery progress to full restoration of
health. Old, complicated diseases demand longer
time for their removal. Qhronic drug diseases,com-plicating
an uncured natural disease,yield only after
great length of time, if they have not become quite
incurable.
46. For a few insignificantsymptoms of recent ori-gin,
no medicinal treatment is needed; a slightchange
of diet and habits of living suffices for their removal.
47. In searching for the homoeopathic specific
remedy, the more prominent, uncommon and 'peculiar
(characteristic)symptoms of the case should bear the
closest similitude to the symptoms of the drug. The
more general symptoms deserve less notice, as gene-ralities
are common to every disease and almost to every
drug.
48. Although a well-selected remedy quietly extin-guishes
an analogous disease without exciting additi-onal
sensations, it may produce a slight aggravation
resembling the original disease so closely that the pa-
Principles of Homceopathy. 127
tient considers it as such. Aggravations caused by
larger doses may last for several hours, but in reality
these are only drug effects somewhat superior in inten-sity
and very similar to the original disease. The
smaller the dose of the drug, so much smaller and
shorter is the apparent aggravation of the disease during
the first hours. Even in chronic cases, after the days
of aggravation have passed, the convalescence will pro-gress
almost uninterruptedly for days.
49. If in acute cases the remedy was poorly selected
we must examine the case more thoroughly for the
purpose of construing a new picture of the disease.
Cases may occur where the first examination of the
disease and the first selection of the remedy prove that
the totalityof symptoms of the disease is not suffici-ently
covered by the morbific elements (symptoms) of
a single remedy; and where we are obliged to choose
between two medicines which seem to be equally well
suited to the case, we must prescribe one of these medi-cines,
and it is not advisable to administer the remedy
of our second choice without a renewed examination of
the patient,because it may no longer correspond to the
symptoms which remain after the case has undergone
a change, and often a different remedy will be indica-ted.
If the medicine of our second choice is still suited
to the remnant of the morbid condition, it would now
deserve much more confidence and should be employed
in preference to others.
50. Diseases presenting only a few symptoms may
be called partial(one-sided)diseases;their chief symp-toms
indicating either an internal affection,or head-ache,
or diarrhoea, or only a local one. A mere careful
examination often reveals more occult symptoms, and
if this fails,we must make the best use of these few
prominent symptoms as guides in the selection of the
medicine. As for such a partial disease,the selected
128 A COMPEND OF THE
remedy may also be only partiallyadapted, it may ex-cite
accessory symptoms and symptoms of the disease
will be developed which the patient had not previously
perceived at all or only imperfectly,thus facilitating
the task of selecting a more accurate homoeopathic
remedy.
51. After the completion of the effect of each dose
of medicine, the case should be re-examined, in order
to ascertain what symptoms remain and the corre-sponding
remedy selected, and so on till health is
restored.
52. Local diseases are those affections which are of
recent origin and caused by external injury. Affections
of external parts, requiring mechanical skill,belong to
surgery alone, but often the entire organism is affected
to such an extent by injuries,as to require dynamic
treatment in order that it may be placed in the proper
condition for the performance of the curative operation.
53. Affections of external parts, not caused by ex-ternal
injuries,proceed from an internal morbid state
and all curative measures must be taken with reference
to the state of the whole system, in order to effect the
obliteration and cure of the general disease by internal
remedies.
54. In examining such a case, the record of the
exact state of the local disease is added to the sum-mary
of all symptoms, and other peculiaritiesto be
observed in the general condition of the patient, in
order to get at the totalityof symptoms and to select
the corresponding remedy which removes the local as
well as the general symptoms. Notwithstanding the
well-regulated habits of the patient a remnant of the
disease may still be left in the affected part, or in the
system at large,which the vital force is unable to re-store
to its normal state; in that case the acute local
disease frequently proves to be the product of psora,
130 A COMPEND OF THE
togetherwith which its primary as well as its secondary
symptoms disappear together.
58. Before beginning the treatment of a chronic
disease we must find out whether the patient ever had
been infected by syphilis or by sycotic gonorrhoea,
although it is rare to meet with uncomplicated cases of
these affections, as we usually find them often com-plicated
with psora, the most frequent and fundamental
cause of chronic diseases. It will be necessary to inquireinto all former treatment and what mineral .waters
have been employed and with what result,in order to
understand the deviations which the treatment had
produced in the original disease,to correct this artifi-cial
deterioration and to determine the course now to
be pursued.
59. A full anamnesis of the case ought now to be
recorded, also the state of mind and temperament of
the patient,as it may be useful to direct or modify
this mental condition by psychical means. Guided by
the most conspicuous and characteristic symptoms the
physician will be enabled to select the first anti-psoric,
anti-syphiliticor anti-sycoticremedy for the beginning
of the cure.
60. The state of the patient's mind and tempera-ment
is often of most decisive importance in the selec-tion
of the remedy, as each medicinal substance affects
also the mind in a different manner. Mental diseases
must only be treated like all other affections and they
are curable only by remedies similar to the disease.
61. Most mental alienations are in reality bodily
diseases,only these mental and emotional symptoms
develop in some cases more or less rapidly, assume a
state of most conspicuous onesidedness, and are finally
transferred like a local disease,into the invisibly fine
organs of the mind, where they seem to obscure the
bodily symptoms; in short,the disorder of the coarser
Principles of Homoeopathy. 131
bodily organs are transferred, as it were, to the almost
spiritualorgans of the mind, where the dissectingknife
will search in vain for their cause.
62. In recording the totalityof symptoms of such
a case, we must obtain an accurate description of all
physicalsymptoms which prevailed before the disease
degenerated into a one-sided mental disorder. We
compare, then, these early symptoms with their present
indistinct remnants, which occasionally appear during
lucid intervals, and add the symptoms of the mental
state as observed by the physician and attendants of
the patient.
63. Though a patient may be relieved of an acute
mental disorder by non-antipsoric medicine, no time
must be lost in perfecting the cure by continued anti-
psoric treatment, so that the disease may not break out
anew, which will be prevented by strict adherence to
well-regulated diet and habits. If neglected, psora
will be usually developed during the second attack,
and may assume a form, periodicalor continuous, and
much more difficult to cure.
64. Mental diseases,not the result of physical or
bodily affections,of recent date, and which have not
yet undermined the physical health too seriously,ad-mit
of the.
speedy cure by physical treatment, while
careful regulations of habits will re-establish the health
of the body, but as a measure of precaution a course of
antipsorictreatment is advisable, in order to prevent a
recurrence of the attack of mental aberration. Proper
hygiene and psychical regimen of the mind must be
strictly enforced by the physician and attendants.
The treatment of insane persons should he conducted ivith
a view of the absolute avoidance of corporealpunishment
or torture. Physician and attendants should always
treat such patients as if they regarded them as rational
beings.
182 A COMPEND OF THE
65. Intermittent diseases also claim our attention.
Some return at certain period, and there are others, ap-parently
non-febrile affections,resembling intermittents
by their peculiar recurrences. There are also affections
characterized by the appearance of certain morbid con-ditions,
alternating at uncertain periods with morbid
conditions of a different kind. Such alternating dis-eases
are mostly chronic and a product of developed
psora, in rare instances they are complicated with
syphiliticmiasma. The first needs purely antipsoric
treatment, the latter an alternation of antipsoricwith
antisyphilitics.
66. Typical intermittents recur after a certain
period of apparent health, and vanish after an equally
definite period. Apparently non-febrile morbid con-ditions,
recurring at certain periods,are not of sporadic
or epidemic nature, they belong to a class of chronic,
mostly genuine psoricdiseases. Sometimes an intercur-rent
dose of highly potentized Peruvian bark extin-guishes
the intermittent type of the disease.
67. In sporadic or epidemic intermittents, not pre-valent
endemically in marshy districts,each attack is
mostly composed of two distinct stages, chill and heat,
or heat and then chill; still more frequently they con-sist
of three stages, chill,heat and finallysweat. The
remedy, usually a non-antipsoric,must have the power
to produce in healthy persons the several successive
stages similar to the natural disease, and should cor-respond,
as closely as possible,with the most promi-nent
and peculiar stage of the disease; but the symp-toms
which mark the condition of the patient during
the apyrexia, should chiefly be taken for guides in
selectingthe most strikinghomoeopathic remedy. The
best time to administer the medicine is a short time
after the termination of the paroxysm, then the medi-cine
has time to develop its curative effect without vio-
Principles of Homceopathy. 133
lent action or disturbance, and the vital force is then
in the most favorable condition to be gently modified
by the medicine and restored to healthy action. If the
apyrexia is very brief,or if it is disturbed by the after
effects of the preceding paroxysm, the dose of the medi-cine
should be administered when the sweating stage di-minishes
or when the subsequent stages of the paroxysm
decline.
68. One dose may suffice to restore health, but when
a new attack threatens,the same remedy should be re-peated,
provided the complex of symptoms remains the
same; but the intermittent is apt to recur, when the
noxious influences,which first originated the disease,
continue to act upon the convalescent patient,as would
be the case in marshy localities,and to eradicate the
tendency to relapses,the patient ought to be removed
to a mountainous region. When this suitable remedy
fails to break up the paroxysms, unless continued ex-posure
to marsh miasma is at fault,we may blame
the latent psora for it, and antipsoric remedies are
needed for a cure.
69. Epidemics of intermittents in non-malarial dis-tricts
partake of the nature of chronic diseases; each
epidemic possesses a peculiar uniform character, com-mon
to all individuals attacked by the epidemic, and
this uniform character points out the homoeopathic
remedy for all cases in general. This remedy usually
also relieves patients,who, previous to this epidemic,
had enjoyed good health, and who were free from de-veloped
psora.
70. In such epidemic intermittents our antipsorics
fail,but a few doses of sulphur or hepar sulphur, re-peated
at long intervals,will aid us in their cure.
Malignant intermittents, attacking single persons not
residing in marshy districts,need in the beginning a
non-antipsoric remedy, which should be continued for
134 A COMPEND OF THE
several days, for the purpose of reducing the disease as
far as possible. Where this fails,psora is sure in the
act of development, and antipsorics alone will giverelief.
71. Intermittent fevers,indigenous to marshy coun-tries,
or places subject to inundations, will hardly ever
affect young and healthy people, if their habits are tem.-
perate, and if they are not weakened by want, fatigue
or excesses. Endemics are apt to attack new comers,
but a few doses of high potencies of China will easilyrid th"m of the fever,provided their mode of life is very
simple, and if there is no latent psora in them, which,
where such is the case, necessitates antipsorictreatment.
72. Mode of Application of Curative Remedies. "
Perceptible or continued improvement in acute or
chronic diseases invariably counter-indicates the repe-tition
of any medicine whatever, for every new dose
would disturb the process of recovery. A very minute
dose of the similimum, if uninterrupted in its action,
will gradually accomplish all the curative effects it is
capable of producing, in a period varying from fortyto one hundred days. Yet physician and patient desire
to reduce this period. We must be careful to select
the most appropriate remedy, and then only we might
repeat this potency in fourteen, twelve, ten, eight or
seven days. In chronic diseases assuming an acute
fbrm, and demanding greater haste, these spaces of
time may be abbreviated still more, but in acute dis-eases
the remedies may be repeated at much shorter
intervals, for instance, twenty-four, twelve, eight or
four hours; and in the most acute cases at intervals
varying from one hour to five minutes.
73. The dose of the same remedy is to be repeated,
.lintilrecovery ensues or until the remedy ceases to pro-duce!
improvement; and with the change of symptoms
a fresh examination may indicate another remedy.
Principles of Homceopathy. 135
74. Every medicine which produces new and
troublesome symptoms not peculiar to the disease to be
cured, is not homoeopathic to the case. An antidote
must be given, selected with great care in regard to the
similitude of the case, or if the accessory symptoms are
not too violent, the next remedy should be given at
once, in order to replace the inappropriate one. If in
urgent cases we see after a few hours that the selection
of the remedy was faulty and the patient fails to im-prove
or new symptoms are discovered, we must select
with greater care another remedy which is more accu-rately
adapted to the new state of the case.
75. There are some remedies, as Ignatia, Bryonia,
Rhus, rad., in some respects Belladonna, which show
alternating effects on the state of the health, composed
of partly opposite primary effects. If after the exhibi-tion
of one of these remedies, no improvement follows,
we must in a few hours, in acute cases, give a new po-tency
of the same remedy.
If in a chronic psoric case the antipsoric fails to re-lieve,
there must be some irregularity of regimen or
some other vigorous influence acting upon the patient,
which must be removed before a permanent cure can
be accomplished.
Incipient improvement, however slight,is indicated
by increased sensation of comfort, greater tranquility
and ease of the mind and return of naturalness in the
feelings of the patient. To find out improvement or
aggravation, the physician must examine the patient
closely upon every symptom contained in the record
of the case. If these show that neither new nor un-usual
symptoms have appeared, and that none of the
old ones have increased, and especiallyif the state of
mind and disposition is found to be improved, the
medicine must also have produced an essential and
general improvement in the disease,or at all events, it
13G A COMPEND OF THE
may soon be expected. Where delay occurs beyond
expectation,there must be some fault in the regimen
of the patient or the protracted homoeopathic aggrava-tion
produced by the medicine must be attributed to
the insufficient reduction of the dose.
76. New and important symptoms, mentioned by
the patient,indicate that the medicine was not well
selected;though the patient may think he is improv-ing,
his condition may even be worse, which will soon
make itself apparent.
77. No physician should have favorites among
drugs, nor should he disregard medicines on account
of their failure. Too often the fault is the physician's
or the supposition a wrong one; his only duty is to se-lect
the similimum to every case.
78. On account of the minuteness of the homoeo-pathic
dose, great care must be taken in the diet and
regimen of the patient,and especiallyin chronic cases
we have to search carefully for such impediments to a
cure, because these diseases are often aggravated by
obscure, noxious influences of that kind as well as by
errors in regimen, which, being frequently overlooked,
exercise a noxious influence. Daily walks, light
manual labor,proper nutritious food and drink, una-
dulturated with medicinal substances are to be recom-mended.
In acute cases we have only to advise the
family to obey the voice of nature by gratifying the pa-tient's
ardent desires,without offeringor urging him to
accept hurtful things. In acute cases the temperature
of the bedroom and the quantity of the covering should
be regulated entirelyaccording to the wishes of the pa-tient,
while every kind of mental exertion and emo-tional
disturbance is to be avoided.
79. Genuine and unadulterated medicines, retaining
their full virtues are the first requisitesof a physician,
and in the treatment of disease only one singlemedici-
138 A COMPEND OF THE
83. Remedies in their dynamic dose, may be givenby the mouth and tongue, by olfaction,or hypodermic-
ally. The most sensitive parts of the surface are, at
the same time, the most susceptible.
A CATECHISM ON THE FIRST VOLUME OF
HAHNEMANN'S CHRONIC DISEASES.
1. All chronic diseases are so inveterate immedi-ately
after they have become developed in the system,
that, unless they are thoroughly cured by art, theycontinue to increase in intensity until the moment of
death. They never disappear of themselves, nor can
they be diminished, much less conquered or extin-guished,
by the most vigorous constitution or the most
regular mode of life and strictest diet.
2. Psora is the oldest,most universal and most per-nicious
chronic miasmatic disease. Existing for many
thousands of years, its morbid symptoms have in-creased
to such an extent that its secondary symptoms
have become innumerable.
3. The ancient nations designated psora as leprosy,
by which the external parts of the body became vari-ously
disfigured,and during the middle ages the Cru-saders
spread it over Europe. Cleanliness, increased
refinement and more select nourishment succeeded in
diminishing the disgusting appearance of psora so as
to reduce the disease, towards the end of the fifteenth
century, to the ordinary eruption of an itch. But
about this time, 1493, the second contagious chronic
disease, syphilis,began to raise its fearful head.
4. During the first centuries of leprosy the patients,
though they suffered much in consequence of lanci-
Principles of Homceopathy. 139
nating pains in the tumors and scabs, and the vehe-ment
itching all around, enjoyed nevertheless a fair
share of general health, for the obstinately lasting
eruption upon the skin served as a substitute for the
internal psora, and furthermore the leprous patients
were kept apart from human societyand thus the con-tagion
remained limited and rare.
5. But the milder form of psora, in the shape of an
itch,infected a far greater number of people, and the
itch vesicles being constantly ruptured by scratching
and their contents spread over the skin, and those
things which had been touched by such patients, psora
became the most contagious and most universal of the
chronic poisons. Though this eruption by its easier con-cealment
may attack many persons, still the essence of
this reduced psora remains unchanged, and being more
easilyrepelled from the skin, it appears so much more
imperceptibly upon the inner surface,producing severe
secondary ailments.
6. At the time before leprosy was reduced, there
were much less nervous affections,painful ailments,
spasms, cancerous ulcers, adventitious formations,
weaknesses, paralysis,consumptions and degenerations
of either mind or body, than there are now, aided
probably by universal use of coffee and tea for the last
two centuries.
7. The most universal of external means has done
an immense amount of mischief, for secondary ail-ments
will sooner or later manifest themselves as re-sults
of the psoric reaction.
8. Many cases from ancient and recent writers can
be cited to convince the observer that the itch with its
varieties,tinea capitis,crusta lactea,herpes, etc., are
the external vicarious symptoms of an internal disease
affecting the whole organism, and that psora is the
most pernicious of all chronic poisons. It is well
140 A COMPEND OF THE
known that all infections first attack the whole organ-ism
internally before the vicarious affection manifests
itself.
9. In acute diseases, the local symptoms, together
with the disease,leave the system as soon as they have
run through their regular course. In chronic diseases
the local affection may either be removed or disappear
by itself,when at the same time the internal disease
may increase,unless it is cured by art.
10. In considering the formation of the three chronic
maladies, psora, sycosis,syphilis, as well as that of
the acute infectious diseases, three cardinal points
must be noticed: 1, the period when the infection took
place; 2, the period when the whole organism began to
be tainted with the infectious poison, until it became
a complete internal disease; 3, the manifestation of
the external symptoms, by which nature indicates the
complete development of the infectious disease in the
internal organism.
11. The infection in acute as well as in chronic
diseases, takes place in a moment, provided this mo-ment
is favorable to the contagious influence;the whole
nervous system becomes infected in a moment. The
human small-pox, measles, etc.,will run through their
course, and the fever which is peculiar to each of these
different forms of infection,together with the cutane-ous
eruption, will break out a few days after the inter-nal
disease has completed its development.
12. The mode of contagion in chronic contagious
diseases is the same, but after the internal disease is
completed, there is this difference, that the chronic
poison continues in the organism, and even develops
itself from year to year, unless it is extinguished and
thoroughly cured by art.
13. Syphilitic contagion happens at those places
which come in contact with the syphiliticvirus and
Principles of Homceopathy. 141
receive it into themselves by friction; the internal or-ganism
is roused in a moment by this infection, and
not until the internal disease is completely developed,-
does nature try to form at the spot where the contagion
took place, a local symptom as a substitute for the in-ternal
disease. By extinguishing the internal disease
with an internal remedy, the chancre becomes also
cured without any external application.
14. Psora is the most contagious of all chronic dis-eases,
as it taints the system, especially that of chil-dren,
by simply touching the skin. Not till the whole
organism has been adapted to the nature of the chronic
contagious disease, do the morbidly affected vital
powers try to alleviate the internal disease by local
symptoms and the eruption is merely the ultimate
boundary of the psoric development, a substitute for
the internal disease,which, together with its secondary
ailments, remains in a latent condition. External ap-plications
may check the local symptoms, but too often
the internal psora is thus aggravated.
15. There are many symptoms that reveal the exis-tence
of psora, but they cannot all be found upon
one person; one has more, the other less,in one they
come out progressively,in another they remain sup-pressed;
this depends greatlyupon the constitution and
the external circumstances of the patient. These affec-tions
do not prevent him from leading a tolerably
comfortable existence,provided he is young and robust,
is not obliged to fatiguehimself, has all his wants pro-vided
for,is not exposed to chagrin or grief and has a
cheerful,calm, patient and contented temper. In this
case psora may continue slumbering for years without
becoming developed into a permanent chronic disease.
16. However, a trival cause, an ordinary vexation,
a cold, an irregularityin the diet,etc.,may, in a more
advanced age, cause a violent though short attack of
142 A COMPEND OF THE
disease, out of proportion with the moderately exciting
cause, especially during the fall, winter and early
spring.
17. But whenever the vital power has been reduced
by some mental ailments or by a bodily affection,the
latent psora becomes aroused and develops a host of in-veterate
symptoms; some one of the psoric chronic dis-eases
break forth,unless more favorable circumstances
set in, diminishing the intensity of the disease and
making its ulterior development more moderate. (Here
follow the symptoms of the aroused psora, differing
according to the individualityof the patient and the ex-tent
of the psoric intoxication.)
18. Sycotic excrescences are often accompanied with
a sort of gonorrhoea from the urethra, are sometimes
dry and in the form of warts, but more frequently soft,
spongy, emitting a fetid fluid, of a sweetish taste,
bleeding readily and having the form of a coxcomb or
a cauliflower. In man they appear upon the glans
and around or beneath the prepuce; in woman they
surround the pudenda. Surgery and mercury are still
much abused in sycosis; the extirpation of the excres-cences
only lead to their appearance at some other
place and the internal use of mercurials rouses a latent
psora and we deal then with a combination of psora
and sycosis. Our duty then is to annihilate the psoric
miasm by the indicated antipsorics,and then we use
the remedies indicated for sycosis (Thuja, Nitric acid),
and for syphiliticcomplications Mercury remains the
remedy.
19. The syphiliticcontagion is much more general
than the poison of sycosis. The treatment of syphilis
is only difficult when complicated with the psoric
poison. The former is rarely complicated with sycosis,
but whenever it exists we meet psora as an additional
complication.
Principles of Homceopathy. 143
20. Chancre and bubo are the original representa-tives
of syphilis,and if not interfered with, they might
remain during life and no secondary symptoms will
appear. By considering the chancre a mere local ulcer
and by removing it by external means, the disease is
forced to manifest itself throughout the organism with
all the secondary symptoms of a fullydeveloped syphi-lis;
hence it is that the internal disease is most per-manently
cured while the chancre or the bubo are yet
existing as its vicarious types, especiallyin young per-sons
of a cheerful temper, where often one singleminute
dose of Mercury suffices,and Hahnemann prefersthat
preparation which goes by his name. If more than
one dose should be required,the lower potencies may
then be employed.
21. The second stage sets in when the chancre has
been speedily removed by external means, but even
then, provided there is no latent psora, the secondary
symptoms may be prevented by the soluble Mercury,
and the original spot of the chancre can no more be
traced, while without that internal treatment a red-dish
morbid-looking, red or bluish scar remains. Bubo,
when not complicated with psora, only needs the same
treatment.
22. In the third stage we find syphiliscomplicated
with psora and the patient suffered already from psora
when the syphiliticinfection took place or false inter-nal
and external treatment caused a combination of
the psoric with the syphiliticelement and it take then
more than one remedy to remove the evil consequences.
It may be here observed that it is the nature of the
psoric poison to break forth in consequence of great
concussions of the system and violent inroads upon the
general health.
23. In order to reach this marked syphilis (pseudo
syphilis),we must remove from the patient all hurtful
144 A COMPEND OF THE
external influences and put him on an easilyand vigo-rously
nourishing diet and regulate his general mode
of life. The most appropriate antipsoric must then be
selected which may be followed by a second antipsoric
according to the new symptoms, and when the latter
has accomplished its action, the single dose of Mercury
must be allowed to act as long as it is capable of exer-cising
a curative influence.
24. In old difficult cases, ailments remain which
are neither purely psoric or syphilitic. Here several
courses of antipsoricsare needed, until the last trace of
all provocation has ceased. After this we give a lower
potency of Mercury and allow it to act until the skin
has recovered its healthy color at the spot where the
venereal chancre stood.
25. A complication of the three chancre poisons
must be treated on the same principles.Antipsoric first
and then that poison whose symptoms are most promi-nent.
Afterwards the remaining portion of the psoric
symptoms must be removed and then the last traces of
syphilis and sycosisby other adequate remedies. A re-turn
of a healthy color of the skin on places which had
been affected, is the surest sign of a perfect restoration.
26. As long as the psora eruption is yet existing
upon the skin, psora exhibits itself in its simple and
most natural integrity,and may be cured in the easi-est,
quickest and safest manner; but when the internal
disease is deprived of its vicarious symptoms, the psoric
poison is forced to spread over the most delicate parts
of the internal organism and to develop its secondary
symptoms.
27. The psoricpoison having pervaded millions of
organisms for thousands of years, has gradually devel-oped
out of itself an endless number of symptoms, va-ried
according to differences of constitution, climate,
residence, education, habits, occupation, mode of life,
146 A COMPEND OF THE
customed to wear wool may continue to do so, but as
the case progresses and the weather becomes warmer,
cotton or linen ought to be substituted. Daily ablu-tions
are often more advisable than baths.
33. In regard to eating,one should consent to re-strictions
in order to be freed from a troublesome
chronic disease, and only in abdominal affections re-strictions
are more necessary. In regard to beverages,
coffee has pernicious effects upon mind and body.
Young people do not need it,and older persons ought
to wean themselves generally from its use, and be sat-isfied
with roast rye or wheat, whose smell and taste is
very much like coffee. Tea ought to be entirelyavoided
during treatment of chronic diseases. Old people can-not
be suddenly deprived of their wine, but by mixing
it with water and sugar, they can gradually reduce its
strength; in fact,the patient cannot be too abstemi-ous
in relation to alcoholic beverages; it is a law of
nature that the apparent increase of strength and ani-mal
heat consequent upon the use of ardent spirits
will be followed by a state of depression and diminu-tion
of heat.
34. Beer is so much adulterated,that it becomes in-jurious
to health; vinegar and lemon juice are especi-ally
hurtful to those who are affected with nervous
and abdominal complaints; sweet fruits may be used
moderately; beef, wheat or rye bread, cow's milk and
fresh butter are the most natural food,hence also for
chronic patients. Next to beef comes mutton, game,
old chickens, young pigeons. Goose, duck, or pork are
less admissible. Salt and smoked meats ought to be
used in great moderation. Fish ought to be boiled
and eaten without any spiced sauces; herrings and
sardines in moderate quantities. Moderation in both
eating and drinking is a sacred duty for all chronic
patients.
Principles of Homceopathy. 147
35. Restriction in the use of tobacco is especially
necessary when the intellectual functions are affected,
when the patient does not sleepwell,is dyspeptic and
constipated.
36. Excessive fatigue,working in marshy regions,
injuriesand wounds, excessive heat or cold, starvation,
poverty, unwholesome food are less capable of rousinglatent psora or aggravating a manifest psoricdisease
than an unhappy marriage or a gnawing conscience.
Grief and sorrow are the chief causes which either de-velop
latent psora or aggravate an already existing
secondary psoricaffection.
37. Mineral springs and all medicinal influences
ought to be avoided and when the patientused them,
he ought to abstain for some time from all medicines
and follow a strict diet in the country.
38. All excesses injure mind and body; by vicious
practicesthe most robust bodies often fail and the
latent psora entering in combination with a badly
managed syphiliticpoison givesoriginto most distress-ing
diseases. We must then remove first the psoric
poison and thus prevent all secondary chronic affec-tions.
39. The physician must never interrupt the action
of an antipsoricremedy nor exhibit an intermediate
remedy on account of every triflingailment; a care-fully
selected remedy should act till it has completedits effect.
40. Suppose the remedy calls out symptoms which
have existed before,this apparent aggravation and the
development of new symptoms show that the remedyhas attacked the disease in its inmost nature, and it
must be left undisturbed.
41. Should the remedy cause new symptoms, which
may be supposed to be inherent to the medicine,the
remedy should be permitted to act for a while and
V- OF THK
UNIVrR
Of
148 A COMPEND OF THE
generally these symptoms will disappear; but if they
are troublesome, they show that the remedy was not
properly chosen, and an antidote, if known, must be
given or another suitable antipsoric selected.
42. A homoeopathic aggravation is a proof that a
cure may be anticipated with certainty;but if the origi-nal
symptoms continue with the same intensity,it
shows that too large a dose made the cure impossible,
neutralizing its genuine homoeopathic effects and caus-ing
a medicinal disease by the side of the natural dis-turbances.
We then select an antipsoricwhich corres-ponds
to the symptoms of the natural and of the arti-ficial
disease. Should the same antipsoricbe still in-dicated,
we must give it in a much higher potency and
in a more minute dose. The doses can scarcely be too
much reduced, provided the effects of the remedy are
not disturbed by improper food.
43. The physician ought to avoid three mistakes,
that the dose can be too small, the improper use of the
remedy, and in not letting the remedy act a sufficient
length of time. The surest and safest way of hastening
a cure is to let the medicine act as long as the improve-ment
of the patient continues.
44. Psora is a troublesome thing to deal with, ex-acerbations
show only that the disease is writhing un-der
the action of the remedy, but they will progressively
diminish in frequency and intensity if not interfered
with by a new remedy, for the benign action of the
former remedy, which was manifesting itself,is thus
probably lost.
45. A second dose of the selected remedy is only
indicated when the improvement which the first dose
had produced, by causing the morbid symptoms gradu-ally
to become less frequent and less intense, ceases to
continue after the lapse of fourteen, ten or seven days,
when it is evident that the medicine has ceased to act;
Principles of Homceopathy. 149
the condition of the mind is the same as before, and no
new or troublesome symptoms have made their ap-pearance.
It may be expedient to give this second
minute dose in a somewhat lower potency.
46. Sulphur, hepar, and sepia excepted, the other
antipsorics,seldom admit of a favorable repetitionof
the same drug. One antipsorichaving fulfilled its ob-ject,
the modified series of symptoms generally requires
another remedy. In cases treated by the old school it
may be necessary to interpolate,once in a while, a
dose of sulphur or hepar, according to indications.
47. Alternating remedies in rapid succession is a
sure sign that the right remedy was not selected,or
that the symptoms were only carelesslystudied. By
such mismanagement remedial agents seem to lose all
their power, and mesmeric action may succeed in calm-ing
the system. Let the palms of both your hands
rest for about a minute upon the vertex, then move
them slowly down the body, across the neck, shoul-ders,
arms, hands, knees, legs,feet and toes; this pass
may be repeated.
48. The irritabilityof the patient may also be
calmed by directing him to smell a globule moistened
with the highest potency of the homoeopathic medi-cine.
By smelling of the medicine, its influence may
be communicated to the patient in any degree. By in-creasing
the number of inspirations the power of the
medicine steadily increases.
49. Globules, kept in corked vials,protected from
heat and sunshine, preserve their medicinal powers for
years.
50. Placebos are in order where the patient wishes
to take medicine every day.
51. The cure of a chronic disease may be often re-tarded
by bodily or mental accidents,or intercurrent
diseases,due to malaria or meteoric influences,may set
150 A COMPEND OF THE
in, interrupting the antipsorictreatment sometimes for
several weeks, and olfaction of the non-antipsoric
remedy may suffice for the removal of the intermediate
disease.
52. After the intercurrent disease is removed, the
symptoms of the originalchronic disease may be modi-fied
or morbid symptoms may manifest themselves in
other parts of the body. The patient must be thor-oughly
re-examined, so that the appropriate remedy
may be chosen.
53. Great epidemic diseases,improperly treated and
permitted to complete their course, arouse the latent
psoric poison often to a high degree of intensity,mani-festing
itself in innumerable forms, and antipsoric
treatment is the only safeguard.
54. The obstinate character of endemic diseases is
due to some psoric complication or the action of the
psoric poison modified by the peculiar influence of the
localityand the peculiar mode of life of its inhabitants.
The marshy exhalations, especially of hot countries,
appear, on account of their paralyzing influence over
the vital forces,to be one of the most powerful excit-ants
of the psoric poison, which can only be calmed by
antipsoric treatment. Recently developed symptoms
are the first to yield to the action of the antipsorics,
the older symptoms, which have permanently existed,
are the last to disappear, hence local sj^mptoms only
pass off after the general health has been completely
restored, and we must not be contented till the last
vestigeof psora is removed.
55. A great chronic disease may be cured in the
space of one or two years, provided it was not mis-managed
to the extent of having become incurable. In
young robust persons half this space of time is suffici-ent.
If we consider that the psoric poison has gradu-ally
ramified into the inmost recesses of the organism,
Principles of Homoeopathy. lol
patient and physician understand why much time
must be necessary to master this parasitical enemy
that has assailed the most delicate roots of the tree of
life.
56. Where antipsorictreatment is properly conduc-ted,
the strength of the patient increases from the start
and this increase in strength continues during the
whole treatment until the organism unfolds anew its
regenerate life.
57. The best time for taking an antipsoric is the
morning, before breakfast and the patient ought then
to wait about an hour before eating or drinking any-thing.
58. Antipsorics should neither be taken immedi-ately
before nor during menstruation. If the menses
appear too soon, too abundant, and last too long, she
may smell on the fourth day of a globule of a high po-tency
of nux vomica, and several days after the anti-psoric
may be taken. Nux restores the harmony of
the nervous functions and calms that irritabilitywhich
inhibits the action of the antipsoric.
59. Pregnancy offers a brilliant sphere of action to
antipsoric remedies, but only the highest potencies
ought to be employed. Nurslings ought to get their
medicine through the milk of the mother or wet nurse.
60. The vital force, if left to itself,tries to palliate
by producing secretions and evacuations, or diarrhoeas,
vomiting, sweats, ulcers,hemorrhages, etc., but they
produce only an apparent alleviation of the primitive
disease,and in fact increase it on account of the great
loss of nutritious pabulum which the patient has suf-fered.
61. At the beginning of the antipsoric treatment
constipation is often the great bugbear of the patient,
and an injectionof pure tepid water may be allowed,
which may be several times repeated, until the anti-
152 Principles of Homceopathy.
psoric remedies succeed to regulate the proofs of intes-tinal
evacuation. Sulphur and lycopodium act most
favorably under those circumstances. Hot baths inter-fere
with the effects of antipsoric treatment.
62. The smallest possible electrical sparks aid the
antipsoric treatment by animating those parts of the
body which had been long affected with paralysis or
insensibility.
154 Index.
Page.
Catechism of Organon 117" " Chronic Diseases 138
Cause of recurrence of chronic diseases 76
Centesimal scale 104
Characteristic symptoms 38, 55
" features of sycosis 82
Cinchona experiment 9
Classification of drugs 18
" " diseases 73
Clinical symptoms 26
" " how designated 28
Contraria Contrariis opponenda 18
Coccophobia .* 4
Comparative value of sources of Materia Medica 27
Comj)lementary Relation 47
Comparative value of Toxicology and Provings 20
Concomitants 42
Concordant or Compatible Relation 46
Collateral relation of drugs 45
Collective Totality of Epidemics 54
Constitutional defects 56
Contingent or peculiar symptoms 58
Conversion of trituration to liquids 106
Cones 108
Croll, a disciple of Paracelsus 6
Curantur or Curentur 8
Curative Medicine 3
" Symptoms 26
" " where found 26
"" " \alueof 27
Cyclopaedia of Drug Pathogenesy 26
Dake, J. P., quoted 5
Decimal scale 104
Diagnostic Symptoms 61
Diet during Homoeopathic treatment 71
Direct effects of drugs 18
Dioscorides' classification 18
Difi*erence between two schools of Medicine 22
Different effects of drugs on animals 17
" applicationsof drug action 21
" dosages 90
Dilutions and potencies 95, 104
Directions for pro vers 32
Discovery of law of cure 74
Index. 1 00
Page.
Distilled water 101
Disks 108
Doctrine of signatures 15
" dynamization 95
' ' chronic diseases 74
Dosage 90
" ' for provers32
Drugs " drug action 14
* ' preparation of 102
Drug- proving 19
' ' relationship 45
' ' action on animals,
17
' ' pathogenesy 20
' 'as embodied forces 48
" diseases 74
"
power, unit of ...
102
Dudgeon, R. E., quoted 8
Dunham quoted 33, 52
Dynamization theory ;95
Dynamis 109
Dynamic origin of disease 1 10
Elective aflSnityof drugs 40
Empiricism 3
Environment of drugs 42
Essential conditions for preparing homoeopathic medicines.. ,
99
Eradicative treatment 83
Essential features of every symptom 35
Etiology in the totality 52, 56
Experimental Pharmacology 16
Examination of the patient 49
Evolution of Homoeopathic Materia Medica 23
"' doctrine of chronic diseases 74
Examples of pathologicalsimilarity 60
External impediments 85
** treatment 86
Failure in treatment of chronic diseases 75
Family relationshipof drugs 45
First book on drug effects 23
" promulgation of Homoeopathy 9
' ' symptoms55
Fresh plant tinctures 103
Frost, J. H. P., on key-note symptoms 39
Functional symptoms 57
General drug symptoms 38, 54
156 Index.
Page.
General or absolute symptoms 58
Globules'.
108
Gonorrhoea" two forms 82
Gray, Thomas J.,quoted 114
Grauvogl quoted 15
Guiding symptoms 39
Hahnemann on alternation 65
"diet 71
' ' *' palliatives 18
Hahnemannian pathology 81
' ' philosophy 109
" schema 28
" similarity 59
Hahnemann's precautionary rules 68
' ' directions for triturations 105
" early dosage 92
" early use of single remedy 64
" golden rule 94
" ' method of proving 36
'*reasons why potencies are ridiculed 97
" nosology 73
** suggestions for giving antipsorics 80
" suggestions for treating chronic diseases 84
** teaching on repetition of dose 93
Hale, E. M., contributions to Materia Medica 25
Haller, Albert von 19
Hayward, Dr. J., quoted 107
Heredity 83
Hering, Dr. C, provings 25
" Kules 34
" Guiding Symptoms 26,28
Historical development of homoeopathic dosage 92
Homoeopathy, science of Therapeutics 10
"' first promulgation 9
" its development 9
" its great central truths 11
" what constitutes it 49
Homoeopathic relationship 21
" Materia Medica...
23
" dosage 91
*' aggravation 91
" pharmacy 99
"' tinctures 103
How to learn drug pathogenesy 29
Index. 157
Page.
How to describe symptoms 34
Hygroscopic substances, preparation of 102
Index of symptoms 29
Individualization 55
Inimical Relation 47
Indicated remedy 63
Interpretation of Drug Pathogenesy 38
"Totality 54
Insanity 87
Isopathy 12
Intermittant diseases 88
Jorg'sprovings 26
Journal of British Homoeopathic Society, quoted 108
Keynote symptoms 30, 39
Kimball, Dr. S., quoted 56
Late symptoms 56
Lactose 100
Lawson Tait, quoted 4
Lilienthal, Samuel, Catachism 117
Liquid attenuations 104
List of medicines first proved 23
"' " Anti psorics 80
Locality in drug action 40
Local affections 85
** applications 86, 116
Materia Medica 14
'" Pura 24
Material Causes 115
Medical habits 52
Medicinal Force 14, 113
Medicines, their preparation 99
Medicinal Therapeutics 3
Methods of determining properties of drugs 16
" " treating slight ailments 60
Menstrua used in Homoeopathic pharmacy 100
Mental picture of a drug 41
Mental state important 51, 87
"
symptoms 55
" state embarrassed 67
Miasms 81
Mental diseases 87
Modalities 35, 42, 55
Myxedema 6
Names of early provers 24
158 Index.
Page.
Names of first medicines proved 23
Necessity of smallness of homoeopathic dose 91
Need of pathology 57
" ' " dynamized medicines 112
Nosodes 12
Nosology 73
Objections to Antipathic Treatment-. 7
Objective symptoms 53
Objections to keynote prescribing 63
" " pathological basis 63
" " local treatment 86
Officinal alcohol 101
Old modalities 68
Oldest symptoms 55
Olfaction of medicines 97
One-sided diseases 61
Organon" Catechism on 117
Organo" Therapeutics 6
Origin of acute diseases 73
" " chronic " 73
" " drugs for homoeepathic use 100
Palliative medicine 2
Palliatives 18
Paracelsus, quoted 16, 112
Partial diseases 61, 85
Pathognomonic symptoms 53
Pathogenesy 20
Pathogenetic symptoms 26
" " value of 27
Pathological theories 4
Pathology, need of 57
Pathological similarity 59
Peculiar symptoms 55
Pellets 108
Perfect symptoms 35
Pernicious effects of large doses 69
Prenatal treatment 84
Pharmacology 14
Ptomaines 13
Physiological action of drugs 17
dose 17
Pre ventive Medicine 2
Provers of Drugs 25
Proving of Medicines 31
Index. 159
Page.
Proving of medicines" General rules 31
Provers, Female 32
" Directions for 32
Publication of Chronic Diseases 25
" " Materia Medica Pura 24
Primary and secondarj' drug effects 36
Precautions in taking the Totality 51
Prescriber's attitude after first prescription 66
Precautionary Rules of Hahnemann 68
Psora 77
Pregnane}^, antipsoricsin 81
Rademacher...
40
Radiant state of matter 96
Reappearance of old symptoms 67
Reflex symptoms 58
Regimen in acute diseases 71
Relationship of drugs 22
Allopathic ,
22
Reasons for smallness of Homoeopathic dose 91
Repertories 29
Re-provings 34
Repetition of doses 93
Rotation of remedies.
65
Rules for Totality 59
Schuessler's method 5
Second Prescription 66
Sensations in drug-action 41
Serum Therapy 12
Signatures 15
Similia, S. C 8
Similar remedy 63
Similimum 63
Simple remedy 64
Single remedy 64
Skin phase of chronic diseases 77
Sleep in acute diseases 66
Smallness of dose 69
Specifics 4
Sources of Homoeopathic Materia Medica 26
Specific alkaloids,
13
Stapf, Dr., quoted 12
** call to Coethen 76
Subjective symptoms 52
Sub-physiological dosage 92
160 Index.
Page.
Succussion, eflfectsof ,97
Suggestions for treatment of chronic diseases 84
Sugar of milk 100
Suppression of skin diseases 79
'" ' * gonorrhoea 82
Suppressed sycosis 83
Sycosis81
Sycotis gonorrhoea82
Tablets108
Temperament in provings33
Tinctures . .
103
Theories and hypothesis11
Therapeutics1
Three methods of treatment1
" essential features of every symptom 35
" precautionary rules of Hahnemann 68
Toxicology,value of 20, 27
Totalityof symptoms50
" in acute diseases53
** of quality59
Treatment of drug diseases74
Triturations104
True meaning of symptoms57
Two ways for drug action21
" kinds of gonorrhoea81
Underlying facts of psorictheory78
Unit of medicinal strength102
Vital force110
* ' principlein drugs113
Wilkinson J. J. Garth, quoted83
Winnowing process in interpretingtotality54